Katharine E. Thompson, 82, of Broadfields Highover Morgans in Eliot, Maine, died suddenly at Portsmouth Regional Hospital on September 15, 2016.
Kay was born in Ware, Massachusetts and spent time living in Connecticut and New Hampshire before settling in 1975 at Broadfields in Eliot. She so enjoyed the equine world as she immersed her life in promoting the Morgan horse breed. She was recognized for having a keen eye and extraordinary knowledge when breeding horses. Some of her accomplishments include American Morgan Horse Association Hall of Fame, New England Morgan Horse Association Hall of Fame, and American Morgan Horse Youth Person of the Year. She was invited to many state-level Hall of Fames as well as having Morgan shows dedicated to her. Her true passion was focusing on ensuring the future of the breed by enthusiastically encouraging youth with her ideas and energy. She was continually supporting young children in learning to know and love the breed.
Kay was the matriarch of her family. Time and time again she held gatherings at the farm; events full of fun and laughter. She had such a zest for life she was up for anything; launching motorboats in the family pond, driving the haying equipment in the field for hours, and standing in the driveway with “just one more thing” to share. She built the farm with expectations of continuing her legacy for future generations. The love she had for her family was like no other.
She is survived by her loving family: children, Johanna Booth Miner and her husband Dave of Lee, New Hampshire; Katharine Booth Dupuis, and her husband, Michael, of Eliot, Maine; Ethan Booth, and his wife, Paula, of Durham, New Hampshire; Esther Thompson Asbell, and her husband, Paul, of Epping, New Hampshire; brother, Ellsworth Baker, of Ware, Massachusetts; and sister, Susan Kast, of Phoenix, Arizona. The legacy continues with her six grandchildren: Jessica, Sarah, Nathan, Nicholas, Grace and Lauren, and five great grandchildren, Cade, Cam, Noah, Natalie and Owen.
Friends are invited to visit with Kay's family on Tuesday, September 20 from 5-7 p.m. in the JS Pelkey Funeral Home 125 Old Post Road in Kittery, Maine. An online guestbook may be visited at www.jspelkeyfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to "NEMHS/Kay Thompson Fund" to support a celebration of her life at the New England Morgan Horse Show.
-- via AMHA