Carlson, Catherine V. “Kitty” (Van Voorhis)

of Hubbardston, MA, passed away peacefully in her sleep, at the age of 83, on June 18th, 2024, at Courtyard Nursing Care Center in Medford Massachusetts. Kitty was born in Boston on November 7, 1940, daughter of Standish and Jane (Whitney) Van Voorhis. She grew up in Milton, spending summers in Princeton at Pine Hill Farm and on Naushon Island. After attending Milton Academy, she followed her family out west, studying Drama Production at the University of Arizona, graduated in 1962 and returned to Massachusetts to teach. While working at Friends Academy, Kitty met Henry “Hank” Carlson, and they were married on June 21, 1964. Hank and Kitty lived in Westport, Petersham, Princeton, and finally settled in Hubbardston at their beloved “Twin Beech Farm”.

Kitty had an energy and passion for life, home, friends, and family that was constant throughout her life. She was a strong independent woman and was never afraid to speak her mind or take up an important cause, spending countless hours volunteering. When faced with a personal bad experience selling a family home, it drove Kitty to become a real estate agent, spending over 20 years making sure her clients received the highest level of service, that she had been denied.

Entertaining with flair and amazing culinary delights was Kitty’s specialty. Often drawing on her background in theater, she loved to create a unique experience for each occasion and, with Hank, hosted cocktail, dinner and holiday parties that became legend. Kitty had originally learned to cook by working through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking before it was fashionable, and ultimately became a true chef in her own right. Whether it was her Mexican dinners, holiday fare, or casual weekend lunch, Kitty would create a magical atmosphere, to accompany her delicious dishes.

Kitty loved animals, and had horses, dogs and many cats over the years. Gardening was a lifelong passion, ultimately becoming a Master Gardner and sharing her large vegetable gardens, herb and flowerbeds, knowledge and opinions with a wide audience. For all those that visited, we will never forget being welcomed with a huge smile, spending time on the porch, watching the sunset, enjoying a cocktail with amazing food in the middle of a garden paradise. Kitty felt you could always find beauty in the ordinary but in this case, those of us who were fortunate to experience it, would readily agree that extraordinary would be a better word to describe her and the life she lived.

Kitty was predeceased by her husband Hank Carlson in 2004; her sister Hannah in 2019; her sister Ellen in 2021 and her stepdaughter Joanna “Jo” in 2021. She is survived by her brother Stan and wife Audrey Van Voorhis of Bainbridge Island WA; her sister Susie Van Voorhis of Portland OR, her son Peter and wife Birgit Carlson of Frankfurt, Germany, her daughter, Sarah Carlson of Somerville and her stepson Jamie and wife Eileen Carlson of Sudbury, their children, Caroline, Abby, Andrew, and Jack Carlson; and many dear friends and relatives.

Celebration of Life for Kitty Carlson

Thursday, August 29th 2024

11:00am Bigelow Chapel

Reception to follow at the Bigelow Chapel Gathering Wing

Mount Auburn Cemetery

580 Mt Auburn Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

 The Robert J. Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home 1803 Centre Street, West Roxbury MA 02132 is assisting Kitty’s family with her arrangements.

Instead of flowers, the family would be grateful for donations under Kitty’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org. To offer condolences and to check on service updates, please visit www.lawlerfuneralhome.com

To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Catherine V Carlson hosted by Robert J. Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home.