Katharine B. “Kitty” (Brant) Locke

Katharine B. “Kitty” (Brant) Locke, age 92, of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 26, 2023, at Christiana Care in Newark.

Born and raised in Huntingdon, PA on February 16, 1931, she was a daughter of the late Fred L. and Katharine (Logan) Brant. Kitty graduated from Huntingdon High School in 1949. Following graduation, she attended and graduated from West Chester State Teachers College (now West Chester University) in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree. After graduation, Kitty began a long illustrious career teaching elementary school students. She started out at the Commodore-MacDonough school in St. Georges and taught primarily first and second grades at Forest Oak Elementary, Linden Hill Elementary, and Heritage Elementary School. Her passion was teaching her kids to read and would often talk of the happy expressions on the kids’ faces as they were learning and understanding how to read. Her love of teaching was such that she was “encouraged” to retire after a mere 49 years in the classroom. Kitty truly impacted generations of families and was always honored to teach the children whose parents were once her students.

On September 30, 1956, Kitty married her loving husband, Jack. She lived in St. Georges and started her teaching career while Jack was serving in the U.S. Navy. They then moved to New Castle, and finally took up roots in Newark in 1963, where they have lived since and raised their loving family. Kitty was kind and generous, quiet, and gentle and the best mom a kid could have. She loved her pets, especially her cocker spaniel Penny, and her orange cat Sam. Kitty loved going to the beach and was the best Lil Granny. She loved sports and cheering for her Pirates, although she did also root for the Phillies. Kitty enjoyed reading, dancing, doing several types of puzzles, preparing healthy family dinners, traveling, playing bridge with the bridge club, going to the mountain cottage her dad built, and holiday get togethers (Thanksgiving was her favorite) with extended family. Most of all she loved her family and would do anything to take care of her beloved kids and grandkids.

In addition to her parents, Kitty was preceded in death by her husband, Jack G. Locke; sister, Betti Crosby (Bill); brother, Frederick; and niece, Becky. She is survived by her children, Cindy (Tom) and Steve (Mary); grandchildren, Liz and Ryan; nephews, Jeff, Scott, and John; and nieces, Rebecca and Debra.

Services will be held privately at Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kitty’s memory to the American Red Cross, PO Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037-0839 or online by clicking here, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online by clicking here.