WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. —  

Mary Katherine Madaris was born on December 8,1952, and grew up in Trenton, NJ. She attended Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, and moved to the Berkshires in the mid-70’s, residing in North Adams before moving to Williamstown.

Kate, as she preferred to be called, became best known in the many years she spent working on Spring Street in Williamstown, with long tenures at both The House of Walsh, and at The Library Antiques. Kate was a woman who knew her way around retail. She had a keen eye for fashion and knew her clients well, offering much appreciated advice about colors, shapes, fabrics, and what would best suit them. As a buyer, she purchased merchandise with her clients in mind and became a trusted fashion consultant to many of her loyal customers.

Kate’s greatest joy came in the years she has spent at Wendling Farm with her husband, Averill Cook. Kate was the heart of the home, caring for both her husband, and the dogs she pampered and fussed over, not liking it when they were out of her sight for too long. She was also a key contributor in the running of the farm, naming the breeding cows, and developing a system of naming the calves in Springtime to keep them all straight. She was an avid flower gardener and an accomplished cook. She frequented the Williamstown Farmer’s Market in Summer, making friends of all the vendors, and created long-remembered meals and gatherings for family and friends throughout the year. Kate's home reflected her signature warm and rich style through the use of inviting colors, a mix of old and new furnishings, paired with vibrant rugs, curated art and accessories.

Kate was passionate about Christmas, the tree festooned with an extravagance of white lights, vines, and cherished ornaments, and the house with carefully chosen decorations she had collected over the years. She also loved her nieces and nephews, and was spot-on with her choices of books and gifts, picking them out long before the Christmas holidays, and thoughtfully wrapping them in gorgeous papers and bows.

She will long be remembered for her warmth, wit, generous nature, and love and loyalty to those she held dear. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made out to the American Cancer Society in her memory at www.cancer.org/.

A Celebration of Life is planned for the Fall. To add to the book of memories, please visit www.FlynnDagnoliFuneralHomes.com.