Kathryn F. Benham

Kathryn F. Benham, 91 of Downingtown, PA passed away Monday July 21, 2025 at Simpson Meadows in Downingtown.

She was the wife of the late William G. Benham Jr.

Born April 23, 1934 in Philadelphia, PA she was the daughter of the late Andrew Sontag and the late Florence Zeminski Reynolds.

Kathryn grew up on Gerard Avenue in Philadelphia and graduated from St. Cecelia Academy. In 1953 she earned her Orthoptic Technician certificate from University Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. She was a proud member of the American Orthoptic Technician Association. As a child, she vacationed in Ocean City, New Jersey with her siblings and where she met her future husband.  Ocean City and the beach became a lifelong love.

She worked as a Orthoptic Technician for Wills Eye Hospital. After raising her 6 children she was an administrative assistant, nanny for her grandchildren and a volunteer at Hillsdale Elementary and St. Simon and Jude Schools in West Chester.

Kathryn was devoted to her Catholic faith.  She was a member of St. Simon and Jude until her husband’s passing, a parishioner of St. Agnes Church in West Chester for 30 + years and St. Joseph’s Church when she moved to Simpson Meadows.  She attended daily mass.

She enjoyed gardening, trips to the beach and visiting with her family.  She loved reading, listening to various music genres and watching classic musicals. She loved crab cakes Chinese food and going out to eat.

Kathryn is survived by her daughters, Sister Kathryn Benham IHM, Jean Johnson (Christopher), Mary Frances Giunta (Donald), Eileen Barth, Annemarie O’Brien (Eric) and Aimee Emerson (Damon); her grandchildren, Genny, Matthew, Nicholas, Michael, Theresa, Kevin, Ryan, Andrew, Molly and Olivia; her great grandchildren, Chase, Porter, Archie and Cecelia Rose; her sister, Flossie Adams (Charlie) and brother, George (Linda)

She was preceded in death by her brothers, William and Joseph Reynolds; her son, Thadeus Jude; and her great granddaughters, Charlotte and Annie Masters.

Relatives and friends are invited to her visitation on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, from 10:00 am - 10:45 am at St. Joseph Church 322 Manor Ave. Downingtown, PA 19335, followed by her Funeral Mass at 11:00 am.

Interment will be in St. Denis Cemetery Havertown PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:

Camilla Hall,100 Maxis Drive, Malvern, Pa. 19355 which provides care to elderly IHM Sisters of the Immaculate Heart.

Or

The Campus School at Boston College. The school is a special education school that served her deeply cherished granddaughters, Charlotte and Annie Maters.

Arrangements by DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc. of West Chester, PA 610-696-1181; www.DellaFH.com