Katherine Ellen Wright

Katherine (Kathy) Ellen Wright of Chestertown passed away on July 8, 2025 at Compass Regional Hospice. She was born on May 18, 1955 in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents, Ashley Joseph Stairs, Sr. and Mary Jeanette Kahl Emmerson, her brothers Ashley J. Stairs, Jr. and Stephen Stairs, and her nephew Ashley J. Stairs, III, predecease her. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Warren Wright, her sister Carol Sturdivant (Ron) of FL and brother Michael Stairs, of FL, her son Jeremy D. Morrissette (Michele) of Sudlersville, step daughter Elizabeth Carr (Mark) of Church Hill, grandchildren Jay Carr, Marissa Morrissette, Andrew Carr, Kaitlyn Morrissette, Lyndsie Carr Bacchus (Alex), Nicholas Morrissette and Sydnee Carr and great grandchildren Layton & Loxley Bacchus. Kathy grew up in Baltimore then in Cape St. Clair. She moved to Centreville in 1978 where she lived until moving to Chestertown in 2000. She earned her Master’s degree in Human Services- Addictions from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. She worked for the Queen Anne’s County Department of Health- Neilson Center in addictions treatment and prevention for over 30 years. Twenty-two years of her career were spent dedicated to working with addicts. Kathy spent the following years of her career building the capacity of the Queen Anne’s County Alcohol and Drug Free Coalition. The Alcohol and Drug Free Coalition was established in 2001 and has been continuously operating since then. Kathy also wrote and secured numerous drug prevention and educational grants to provide resources in Queen Anne’s County for our youth. She was also very active in teen court for our county working with many local students. Kathy enjoyed time spent with her grandchildren, family and many friends. She also enjoyed hosting family for holiday gatherings, gardening and sewing. She made the first day of school dresses and Christmas outfits for her granddaughters while they were young. She was also known to stitch up beloved childhood blankets and stuffed animals making them good as new. Kathy’s gifts were numerous but her greatest gift was making those around her feel supported and loved. We are all a bit better off for having known her. On July 14, there will be two visitations (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM) at Fellows Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home 408 South Liberty Street Centreville MD 21617. On July 15 at 11:00 AM, services will be held at the Centreville Methodist Church in Centreville 608 Church Hill Road Centerville MD 21617. In place of flowers, contributions can be made to Celebrate Recovery at celebraterecovery@kimc.org

Katherine Ellen Wright

May 18, 1955 - July 8, 2025