Katherine Sundheim

 September 1, 1926 - February 25, 2019, passed away peacefully at her home in Philadelphia.

Kathy grew up in Chester with sisters, Dolly and Shirley, and brother, Leonard. She played the violin from the age of six, and was the concertmaster of her high school orchestra. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Education. She brought her love of reading to first-graders in Seattle, NY and Philadelphia. In 1953 she married Thomas R. Sundheim and raised 3 children together.
Kathy was known for her charm, wit, intelligence, and beauty. In the 1960s she attended the Barnes Foundation Two-Year Program as a student of Violette De Mazia, falling in love with the art of Cezanne, Daumier, and Soutine. Later she worked at Penn's Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, first as a volunteer docent, then as an employee in the member-ship department. Kathy's love of music lasted her entire life. She regularly attended seasons of the Philadelphia Orchestra and spent her last hours listening to Beethoven's Piano and Violin Sonatas.
Kathy loved raw oysters and moules frites, Wimbledon and the New York and Paris Open Tennis Championships, the New Jersey Shore, Paris, Italy, Rittenhouse Square, her grand-sons and Lucille Ball. She was never seen without her ruby lipstick. She made us all laugh.
She is survived by her children, Karen (Nancy Suib), Mary (Nils Ohlsen) and Bill Sundheim (Suzanne Voeller); grandsons, Daniel, Jackson, Cole and Julian; sister, Shirley Walters; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to .