Katherine Eleanor Blossom

Obituary for Doctor Katherine Eleanor Blossom Dec 21, 1943/ November 12, 2020
Katherine Eleanor Blossom, a resident of Peak Healthcare at Hartley Hall and former resident of Greenbackville, and Virginia Beach, VA, passed away at Tidal Health Peninsula Regional hospital on November 12, 2020, after a brief battle with COVID-19. She was 76.
Kathy was born on Dec. 21, 1943 in the Indian Hospital in Cherokee, North Carolina. She had a lifelong interest in Native American culture and history. After graduating from Gainesville High School in Florida, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, and a Master of Arts and PhD from the University of North Carolina. She also had a master’s degree in library science. Doctor Blossom taught briefly in South Dakota, North Carolina, and Virginia, and served as a librarian in Texas.
In 1966, Kathy fulfilled a life-long dream of visiting Ireland, and she loved listening to Irish folk singers.
Kathy loved a good cup of coffee, something to read, and crossword puzzles. She was happiest when she was with her large extended family. She was the daughter of Thomas Blossom from Massachusetts and Mildred Underwood from Mississippi, both of whom predeceased her, and enjoyed recounting family history. Because of her amazing memory and scholarly education, she also knew many traditional legends and folktales as well as Cherokee legends. These she shared with her nieces and nephews as the most wonderfully detailed bedtime stories.
Kathy leaves behind to cherish her memory, three sisters, Frances Caughey, of Newton, MA, Martha Medeiros and husband, Jim, of Oak Island, NC, and Mary Springle and husband, Terry of Greenbackville, VA. She also had twelve nieces and nephews and twenty great nieces and nephews.
Because of her wish to leave her remains for scientific research, Kathy will be helping the National Institutes of Health research COVID-19 in her death.
Due to COVID-19, there will be no formal services. The family asks that donations be made to your favorite charity in Kathy’s memory.