Kathleen M. Anders, aged 89 went home to be with her Lord on April 2, 2024. She was born January 11th 1935, the daughter of the late Vincent J. Murphy and Mary Lynch Murphy and the younger sister of the late Vincent Murphy. She leaves behind the love of her life, Joseph L. Anders with whom they celebrated 65 years of marriage.
After graduation from Clifford Scott High School, East Orange, NJ, Kathleen worked as a legal secretary at Beneficial Management in Morristown, NJ. After they married, they moved to Manhattan NY and started their family. They settled in Lancaster, PA after moving to Demarest, NJ and Seattle, WA. She supported her husband with his careers and they worked together at the former Counseling & Renewal Center after he became a deacon in the Catholic Church. She was a loving and attentive mother to 5: Mary (Robert) Beck, Lancaster, PA; Christopher (Aaron) Anders, Washington DC; Gregory Anders, Louisville, KY; Peter (Lizzette) Anders, Lancaster, PA; Daniel (Anh) Anders, Philadelphia, PA. Also, the proud grandmother of Emily, Eric, Patrick, Esther, Isaiah, Grace, Kublai, Gabriella, Katerina, and Isabella. And the doting great-grandmother of Xavier, Liana, Elijah, Jackson, Joanna, Benjamin, Jude, Isaiah and Hadassah. Besides her family, Kathleen leaves behind cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and especially her best friend since 2nd grade, Monica Canty, Webster, MA.
Kathleen spent endless hours volunteering; Tenafly Junior Women’s Club, CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) preschool teacher, Girl Scout leader, 1st grade teacher’s aide and Pax Christi. She supported her sons thru scouts to all achieve the Eagle Scout award. She learned to enjoy racewalking at the Lancaster YMCA and completed her last race, The Broad Street Run, at 80 years old.
Baptized and later married in the Roman in the Catholic faith, Kathleen’s faith sustained her. She prayed for family and friends while she racewalked thru the city of Lancaster, stopping only to admire a beautiful flower. She made quilts, pillows and pillow cases for family and friends. As she created these colorful treasures, she prayed for that individual. Besides her unwavering faith and gentle soul, Kathleen maintained her Irish sense of humor to the delight of those around her.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Peter Catholic church, 904 Mill Road, Elizabethtown, PA on Saturday, April 6th, 2024 at 11:30 am with Fr. Bernard-Mary Ayo Oniwe, OP. Family and friends will be received at the church from 10:30 until the time of the Mass. Interment will be private with the family at St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Quarryville, PA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Holy Cross Abbey, 901 Cool Springs Lane, Berryville, VA 22611.
Cremation Services of Lancaster – 717-cremate