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Obituary courtesy of https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/clintonitem/name/katharine-t-ellam-obituary?id=62173144
Katharine T. Ellam, 86, of Yarmouth passed away peacefully, on Sunday, August 9, 2026 at Cape Cod Hospital. She is survived by her sisters, Mary E. Lane of Westford and Elizabeth H. Ellam of Berlin; sister-in-law Susan S. Ellam of Hopkinton; nieces and nephews, Jennifer M. Starsinic and her husband Jeffrey of Pennsylvania, Mary K. Dominici and her husband Philip, Joseph Lane, Sarah Walker and her husband Leigh, Matthew Ellam, and Timothy Ellam, all of Massachusetts; as well as several grandnieces and grandnephews, extended family members, and many dear friends. She was predeceased by her brothers, Joseph J. Ellam and Thomas J. Ellam; her brother-in-law, Thomas C. Lane; and her nephew, Joseph M. Ellam.
Born in Clinton, Katharine was the daughter of Joseph and Katharine (Durkin) Ellam. She was a graduate of Clinton High School, Class of '57, and continued her education at the University of Massachusetts and Katharine Gibbs School in Boston.
Katharine dedicated her professional life to public service, serving as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State and the federal government. Her distinguished career took her to embassies and diplomatic posts around the world, including Cambodia, Bolivia, Peru, Spain, Germany, Nigeria, Turkey, and Suriname, as well as temporary assignments throughout Europe and the United States. Among the highlights of her career, she served as Attaché to Ambassador George H. W. Bush at the United Nations in New York. She later spent several years assigned to CIA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and Williamsburg, Virginia, before retiring to Cape Cod.
In retirement, Katharine enjoyed a quieter life surrounded by the things she loved most. She was a member of the South Yarmouth Senior Citizens Center and found great joy in crafting and participating in several crafting groups. Above all, she cherished her family and friends and the time shared with those she held dear.
Katharine leaves behind a legacy of dedication, adventure, service, and love. Her remarkable career carried her across the world, but it was the relationships she built along the way-especially with her family and dear friends-that brought lasting meaning and joy to her life. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
A Calling Hour will be held on Friday, August 21, 2026 from 10 to 11 a.m. with a Funeral Service immediately following at 11 a.m. in the McNally & Watson Funeral Home, 304 Church St., Clinton. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery, Lancaster. Online condolences may be placed at www.mcnallywatson.com