Obituary of Katherine G. Bergen

Katherine Guthrie Bergen August 1, 1938 December 18, 2017

Born on August 1, 1938 to Mary Kunkle Guthrie and Wallace D. (Wally) Guthrie, Kate grew up in Indiana, Pennsylvania and kept her hometown close to her heart throughout her life. The loving family, joyful friendships and strong community she experienced in her childhood were the guiding priorities by which she led her life.
In 1954 Kate left Indiana to attend the Northfield School and later enrolled at Pembroke College where she studied history, honed her skill as a writer, practiced her bridge game, and made life-long friends. Upon graduation, she joined her big sister Sally in New York City and began her career as a writer and editor.  Kate always loved politics.  She was a staff member on Nelson Rockefeller’s campaign for President in 1964; she later became an ardent democrat, supporting liberal candidates and causes. It was on the beach in Quogue, NY in 1963 that Kate met her beloved Peter, and they began their loving marriage and steadfast partnership that stretched over 53 years.  Their adventures together included raising their three daughters—Vyana, Anne and Lydia in Port Washington, New York.
As her children grew, Kate extended herself to building the Port Washington community, lending her skills to the local Science Museum, the Parent Teacher Association and the Community Chest.  Later she worked tirelessly to help establish the "Landmark on Main Street" as a community center for the town.  Her efforts to support the local community brought her great joy and her time collaborating with like-minded neighbors forged some of her most cherished friendships. Another enduring community of Kate's dearest friends gathers each summer in Northern Ontario on the French River, where she spent weeks every year since childhood. A remote place of remarkable beauty, Kate was perhaps most at home at the family cottage sitting on the rocks, admiring the water. There she especially enjoyed spending time with Peter and her daughters and their families, laughing with her friends, visiting the neighbors in her cedar-strip rowboat, picking wild blueberries, listening to the loons, and watching the sun set and the moon rise.  
Kate was a competitor and loved to play—tennis, bridge, and scrabble were among her favorite games. Her love for books and reading stretched throughout her life. Fiercely loyal, Kate loved her family and friends above all and she will be sorely missed by all of us who loved her deeply in return.
Kate is survived by her loving husband G.S. Peter Bergen and by her three daughters and their families: Vyana Bergen and Cristian Graca (Livingston Manor, NY), Anne Bergen and Jonathan Cutler, Joseph and Nathaniel (New York, NY), Lydia Bergen and Noah Snyder, Amos and Simeon (Boston, MA).  
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes tribute gifts in Kate's memory to the Community Chest of Port Washington, 382 Main Street, Port Washington, NY 11050, or Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main Street, Port Washington, NY 11050. 
There will be a memorial service on January 12, 2018 at 11 AM at the Congregational Church of Manhasset, 1845 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset, NY.