Katherine A. Ludwig

Katherine A. Ludwig, 88, of Cheshire, passed away Monday, September 28. She was born on April 28, 1927 in Naugatuck, daughter of the late Harry and Agnes (Norris) Stephens, and attended school there, including several years in a one-room schoolhouse.

Katherine is survived by her husband, John, whom she married on Valentine’s Day, 1948, as well as her three sons: Ernie and his wife Joanne of Cheshire; Steve and his wife Karla of Glastonbury; and Larry and his wife Diane of Canton, GA. She also is survived by four grandchildren: Sarah, Nick, Kurt and Erik, and five great-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her brother, Joseph Stephens, and a very special granddaughter Valerie.

Katherine worked her entire adult life, first at Ball & Socket, then W.T. Grants, and finally for over twenty years at the front desk of the Cheshire Veterinary Hospital, where she was able to see her friends and neighbors (and their pets) on a daily basis. As a result of her job, the Ludwig household pets included not just dogs and cats, but also a skunk (Sylvester) and a raccoon (Rosemary Cooney).

Following her retirement, Katherine was very active, taking classes in golf, piano and painting, but her two favorite activities were making weekly visits to the Cheshire Correctional Institute, where a group of church members would meet with inmates to discuss that week’s bible readings, and her work as a hospice volunteer, helping patients and their families deal with end-of-life issues.

In her retirement Katherine and her husband also traveled extensively, visiting Switzerland, Germany, France, England and Ireland. As her ability to travel decreased, she took great pleasure in hearing about the various adventures of her children and grandchildren.

Katherine’s funeral procession will leave the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 So. Main St., Cheshire, CT 06410 on Friday, October 2, 2015 at 11:15AM for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 12PM in the Church of the Epiphany, 1750 Huckins Rd., Cheshire. Interment will follow in St. Bridget Cemetery, Higgins Rd., Cheshire. Friends may greet the family at the funeral home on Friday morning from 10AM until the time the procession leaves for church. At the request of her family, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook Street, I-91 Tech Ctr., Rocky Hill, CT 06067-3045.