Katherine Mae Reside Puglisi went to be with the Lord on Aug. 14, 2026 at 11:48 p.m.
Born June 16, 1941, at Mead Memorial Hospital, 60 Mead Street, Walton, New York, to Charles and Barbara Reside, Mom was raised on a dairy farm on state Route 30, Colchester, with her younger sibling Jerome Reside. Both Katherine and Jerome attended Downsville Central School. Mom went back to school in the early 1970s and became a licensed practical nurse. She worked the operating room at Fair Lawn Hospital in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. After years of working the operating room, Katherine did in-home private duty nursing for several people. Mom was always very active, whether it be snowmobiling, chucking bales of hay, field dressing deer, cooking (and boy could she prepare Italian meals second to none), deep sea fishing, supporting Dad in the band, sewing, embroidering and the list goes on and on. Mom was always with Dad, whether it was on the road with the band, haying the field on the old farm or doing home construction. She was not afraid to get her hands dirty. My father made sure she knew how to air her tires, do oil changes, prime carburetors, file points and all of the basic routines needed back in the day to keep a vehicle running if you were alone and got stranded. I remember very well in the mid-80s, mom was coming home from work and her vehicle just died. After the obvious, she rotated the distributor just a little bit, and the vehicle started - the timing chain had jumped a tooth.
Mom absolutely loved to read. She was a bona fide bookworm. She loved to read her Bible daily, agricultural, biblical prophecy, ancient Israel archaeology, Birds and Blooms, Amish related publications, and cooking recipes, just to name a few. Katherine was always politically engaged and always on top of absolutely everything that was happening at home and abroad. Throughout the years both Mom and Dad helped several people along the way to get a start in life. Mom had a heart of gold and would do anything for anybody, but was also stern as well, and there were no false pretenses about her. Mom was not afraid and or intimidated by failure. You know the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed try, try again.” I am truly going to miss her cooking, wisdom, patience, love, and compassion and try to truly press on with whichever it is that you seek wisdom and attitude. Both my mother and father were saved and born again under the instruction, love, and compassion from Pastor Paul Cicio (East Branch Community Church), and for that, I am eternally grateful. Despite great grief and sorrow with Mom’s transition, Mom expressively emphasized that she was ready to go home and be with her Lord and Savior and that, my dear friends is what it is all about, her steadfast dedication throughout her life came full circle to fruition and she is no longer in pain, her last breath started Eternity.
Mom is survived by her son William Puglisi, brother Jerome Reside, Jane Reside, nephew CJ Reside, Melinda Reside, Lisa Timpone, Nick Timpone, Gary Russos, nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Katherine was predeceased by her husband, James W. Puglisi, her daughter Deanna in 1997, stepbrother Vernon “Bucky” and stepsister, Darlene.
This is not a goodbye, but rather, I will see you soon.
John 14:2-3: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Relatives and friends are invited to Katherine’s funeral service Saturday, Aug. 22, at 2 p.m. at the East Branch Community Church, 106 Church Ave, East Branch, with the Rev. Paul Cicio, officiating. Burial will follow in East Branch Cemetery.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Courtney Funeral Home 25 Townsend Street, Walton.
