Kathryn J Froehlich

After a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s dementia, Kathryn J. Froehlich (Kitty) peacefully passed away on Sunday, February 16th at the age of 87 at Trillium Place in Lancaster, PA. 

Kitty was born in Harrisburg, PA in 1937 to Robert E. and Thelma (McNeal) Johnson. She attended William Penn Senior High School in Harrisburg and earned her medical assistant certificate from the Harrisburg Institute of Medical Arts. Kitty worked for the East Petersburg Family Health Center and retired from Hempfield Family Practice.

In addition to her work in the medical field, Kitty began taking piano lessons as a child and became a church organist at the age of 14. She served at several churches in Harrisburg and later in Lancaster. Kitty retired from St. John Lutheran Church in Lancaster, PA, where she was the organist and choir director from 1970 to 2016.

Kitty met the love of her life, Charles (Chuck) O. Froehlich, Jr. while in high school. The two were married in 1957 and enjoyed 30 years of marriage before Chuck passed away in 1987 from pancreatic cancer. Kitty and Chuck moved from Harrisburg to East Petersburg in 1968 and provided a loving home for their three children, Chip (Froehlich), Kristen (Albert), and Laura (Miller). She lived in East Petersburg for many years, with a brief stint in Lebanon County before returning to East Pete. She moved to Woodcrest Villa in 2016 and has resided in memory care at Mennonite home since 2021.

Everyone who knew Kitty knew how much she loved creating works of art through the medium of counted cross stitch. In addition to her many art pieces, she created countless marriage certificates and birth announcements for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was an accomplished knitter and master seamstress and sewed clothing for her girls and herself, and even leisure suits for her 6'7" husband! She knitted sweaters for family and countless hats and booties for newborns and hats for those in need. Her hands were always busy with one project or another. 

Kitty will always be remembered for her quick wit, her persistence, and independence. She was a “doer” and found purpose in being helpful and productive. Kitty was always ready and eager to help wherever needed and service to the community was important to her. Over the years Kitty volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Water Street Mission, and served on the board of her homeowner's association. One of her favorite places to serve was at the Women's and Babies Hospital. She loved transporting moms and their new babies upon discharge from the hospital for the baby's first car-ride home. 

Kitty was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Chuck. She is survived by her three children, Charles (Chip) Froehlich, husband of Susan Preston Froehlich, Lancaster, PA, Kristen (Kris) Albert, wife of Doug Albert, Lancaster, PA, and Laura, wife of Greg Miller, Glen Rock, PA. In addition to her children, six grandchildren (Karl Froehlich, Harrisburg, Nathan Froehlich, Harrisburg, Elizabeth Froehlich Funk, Washington Boro, Miles Froehlich, Reading, Alex Miller, Shrewsbury, and Lindsay Miller, Mohnton) and 12 great grandchildren survive Kitty. She is also survived by her sister, Nancy McDonald, Mechanicsburg, a niece, Kathleen McDonald Kramer, and a nephew, Robert McDonald. 

Kitty was a member of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Lancaster, PA. 

Kitty’s family wants to thank the wonderful staff in the memory care unit at Trillium Place. Thanks to you, Kitty always felt safe, loved, and cared for. You have been angels on earth and her family is so very grateful for your love and support throughout mom’s illness. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral liturgy at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 750 Greenfield Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601 on Saturday, March 1at 11:00AM with visitation from 10:00 - 11:00 AM. Friends and family are invited to stay after the service for a luncheon in All Saints Hall at Good Shepherd. Internment will take place at 2PM at the Conestoga Memorial Park, Lancaster. 

 Memorial contributions can be made to the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, designated to “Organ and Piano Maintenance.”