KATHERINE BUDAI

BRISTOL — Kathy Budai, age 67, passed away peacefully at home with her family on Saturday, September 6, 2025 in Bristol, VT.  Her death came after battling a genetic variant of frontotemporal dementia (FTD-GRN) for several years.

Kathy was born in New Brunswick, NJ to Lowell and Virginia Douglas and lived in northern NJ until she chose to attend a boarding high school, Wasatch Academy in Utah. Kathy was always driven to help people in need, and after high school, she earned an undergraduate degree in social work at Ithaca College in NY.

While in Ithaca, Kathy was introduced by mutual friends to John, a physics student at Cornell. Although usually quiet and calm, Kathy was very strong willed. When John interviewed for a job in Illinois, Kathy was not enamored of the flat midwest cornfields. When John asked if she would go to Illinois, she replied “Yes, but you won’t be happy.” They decided to marry in Ithaca, and moved to Murray Hill, NJ where John took a postdoc position.  While living in NJ, Kathy earned a Master of Social Work from Smith College by commuting for student internships in NYC.  After two years in the NJ-NYC area, they wanted a less urban setting, and they moved to Oak Ridge, TN, where they lived for the next 34 years.

In Oak Ridge, Kathy had a long career as a social worker, first with an agency and then in her private practice as a therapist. She felt a strong satisfaction from helping people through difficult times. She disliked business aspects such as dealing with insurance companies, but always focused on effective therapies and was personally involved in supportively helping children, couples and individuals improve their lives. She went so far as to have a patient move into her home in an emergency, probably crossing professional boundaries. In Oak Ridge, Kathy was also active in community organizations, particularly in the early morning Rotary Club where she organized a Dragon Boat Festival to raise money for local charities.

Her desire to nuture people was naturally strongest for her children, Sarah and Laura. Her daughters knew that Kathy was always there to support them and was always the parent most likely to say yes to any request. Her older daughter loved horses, and spent much of her youth riding and attending shows. When her younger daughter was born with Down syndrome, Kathy always sought out any available therapies to help develop Laura’s speech, social, and cognitive abilities. Kathy’s nurturing nature extended as well to many pets over the years. Kathy was never without a cat or dog, usually both. The peak was 8 dogs and cats after an adopted stray had puppies.

Kathy is survived by her husband of 43 years, John; her daughter, Laura, of Bristol VT; her mother, Virginia, of Vergennes, VT; and many family members and friends.  Kathy was predeceased by her father, Lowell; her sister, Elizabeth Atwood; and her daughter, Sarah.

The family sincerely thanks the staff at Addison County Home Health and Hospice and at Project Independence in Middlebury for their remarkable caring assistance as Kathy’s health declined. A celebration of life will be planned in the fall. Donations may be made to The Penn FTD Center (www.pennftdcenter.org) where promising clinical trials are in progress. Arrangements are through the Brown-McClay funeral home in Bristol, VT. Online condolences at www.brownmcclayfuneralhomes.com.