Katherine Harriet Whitford (née Hauser) died peacefully in her sleep on January 14, 2025 in Charlotte Hall, MD at the age of 81 following a lengthy battle with melanoma of the brain. Kathy is survived by her husband, Gerald Whitford; son Clifton Whitford (Heidi) of Lexington Park, MD; daughter Wendy Whitford (Shane Ring) of New Market, VA; bonus daughter Lori Sacks (David) of Prince Frederick, MD; sister Lorena-Belle Christian (Walter) of Ocean Pines, MD; brother Jack C. Hauser (Diana) of Chesterfield, MO; sister Frieda M. Romanchuk (Daniel) of Ponte Vedra, FL; and grandsons David Whitford, Andrew Whitford, Koty Ring, and Liam Ring. She is preceded in death by brother, Nathaniel Hauser, Jr. (survived by Doris Anne) of Ellicott City, MD.

Kathy was born on February 2, 1943 in Annapolis, MD to Nathaniel Hauser, Sr. and Lorena Hauser (née Potts) formerly of Cheverly and Edgewater, MD. She graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1961 and then worked as a bank teller. In 1964, she met Gerald Whitford and they were married on August 27. After her two children, Cliff and Wendy, were in school, Kathy began attending Charles County Community College. She chose the "new" field of computer programming and eventually graduated summa cum laude with her Associate's degree. At the time, any training in computers was a highly coveted skill. Kathy chose to work for the British Aerospace Electronics (BAE) where she was a systems analyst for more than two decades. This career as a government contractor for the U.S. Navy led to an unexpected benefit: it allowed Kathy to enjoy daily walks along the St. Mary's River. This love of daily exercise was a constant throughout the rest of Kathy's life. Similarly, Kathy's skill with technology continued even into retirement which saw her designing her own home computers.

Kathy had a variety of other interests, too. The first was her passion for caregiving which started when she was a hospital candy striper, then raising her children, and finally caring for her legendary mother, Lorena Hauser. In 2010, Kathy was honored by Charles County as an Enduring Caregiver. Kathy was also an avid traveler. She visited multiple locations throughout the world with her favorites being Caribbean beaches, Alaska, and a three month tour of Australia and New Zealand. In her later years, Kathy was a skilled gardener and produced many vegetables not only for her own home, but for friends and neighbors. She loved cooking and dining out and particularly enjoyed spinach orzo and black bean soup.

Services are pending for her at this time.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer Society. The family would like to thank Theresa Washington and Hospice of the Chesapeake for their care and support.