Kathleen Carter Cohen Willard

On Thursday, June 13, 2024, Kathleen Carter Cohen Willard passed away at the age of 81 after a long illness.

Kathy was born on January 18, 1943 in Atlanta, GA to Cornelius Henry Cohen and Kathleen Stokes Carter Cohen. She graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1961 and received a BA degree from Converse College in 1965. On June 11, 1965, she married her junior high school sweetheart and love of her life, Benjamin Sims Willard. They raised two daughters, Carter and Isabel.

Kathy was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg, The Assembly and the Colonial Dames. She was active in her community, serving on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Ballet Guild of Spartanburg and the Spartanburg County Historical Association. She also served as President of the Junior League of Spartanburg,

Kathy enjoyed snow skiing, hiking, golf and tennis. She played duplicate bridge and patiently taught many younger women to play bridge. She was an avid reader, an excellent cook and a beautiful seamstress. She gave sage advice. She adored her grandchildren and loved baking cookies and teaching them to play hearts and gin. While at Converse, she was on the synchronized swimming team and taught many kids in town to swim at Mrs. Hammond’s swimming school in Andrews Farm lake. She had a sharp wit and an uncanny memory for faces and names. She remembered how people were related to one another and who lived in almost every house on the East side of Spartanburg. Kathy was, in short, good at everything she did. Perhaps her most endearing (and enduring) role was that of cheerleader. She cheered for Spartanburg High School and Wofford College. As a mother, she cheered on her children. After Kathy suffered a traumatic brain injury from a stroke in the summer of 2009, which left her mostly bedridden for the remainder of her life, it was this one remaining role which she refused to give up. She continued to smile, to laugh, to encourage, to lift the spirits of those in her wake. 

Kathy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, who lovingly cared for her for the better part of her illness, as well as her father and mother, her sister, Beverly Cohen Huntley and her brother-in-law, Stephen J Huntley. She is survived by her daughters, Carter Willard Smith (Louis) of Spartanburg, and Isabel Willard Peterson (Nils) of Linville, NC, and four grandchildren, Kathleen Carter Smith Craig (Noah), Benjamin Gerald Smith, Nils Henry Peterson and Carter Willard Peterson. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, William G. Willard, III and his wife, Floride Williams Willard, who was Kathy’s best friend since childhood, as well as five nieces and nephews. She is also remembered affectionately as one of the “outlaws” to a host of her husband’s Willard and Sims cousins.

The family wishes to thank Kathy’s wonderful caregivers, April Motter, Donna Kirby, Wanda Hopper, Destiny Martin, Amanda Lavender and Kelley Motter. The family is also forever grateful to Kathy’s Monday Lunch Bunch friends, as well as her team at Interim Hospice, Kimberly Flanigan, Teresa Glenn, Scott Linnerud, Rachele Gilkerson Minter and Leighton Woodfin and the many other friends, caregivers and health care professionals who touched their lives throughout this journey.

Following a private family burial, a funeral service will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church at 3:00p.m.

In remembrance of Kathy, contributions may be sent to the Spartanburg County Foundation, 424 E. Kennedy St., Spartanburg, SC 29302. The family is at the home.