BRAINTREE- Katharine T. (Benson) Bickford, 85 years of age, passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday, March 29th 2017. She was born in Milton and was a graduate of Milton High School Class of 1948. Katharine then went on to receive her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Bridgewater State College. She taught 5th grade in Norwell Public Schools for many years. After retiring from teaching, Katharine worked as an Administrative Assistant for Diet Workshop for many years. Katharine was a communicant of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Braintree where she was a Lectur and a Eucharistic Minister. She also taught CCD at St. Francis of Assisi Church for 40 years. She was an avid knitter and also had traveled the world. She especially enjoyed visiting her ancestral home in Ireland and, at the age of 80, visiting the Holy Land. She enjoyed spending time and traveling with her grandchildren. She was the daughter of the late Michael and Margaret (Scanlon) Benson originally from County Sligo, Ireland. Katharine was the beloved and devoted wife of the late Fred Allen Bickford III who died in 2005. She was the loving mother of Fred Allen Bickford IV married to Michele of Norwell, Jane T. Bickford of Roslindale, Sara W. Berger married to Robert of Braintree, and Faith A. Bickford married to Paul Walsh of Weymouth. Katharine is the proud grandmother of Benjamin Bickford, Christopher Bickford, Fiona Berger, Niamh Berger, and Despina Chloe Spyridonides. She was also the sister of the late Anne King formerly of Braintree and Sandwich. Visiting hours will be held at the Mortimer N. Peck-Russell Peck Funeral Home, 516 Washington Street, Braintree on Tuesday, April 4th from 4-8pm. There will be a gathering at the funeral home on Wednesday, April 5th at 8:30am to be followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church at 9:30am. Burial will be private. Rather than flowers, memorial donations in Katharine’s memory may be sent to St. Francis of Assisi Church for the organ fund, 856 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184.

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