Kate Thornton

From News Letter #6

Miss Katherine Thornton

It is with great regret that we have to tell Members of the Association of the death last month of Misa K. Thornton – Kate Thornton she was affectionately known by so many people, and Dr. C. A. Meir writes the following short appreciation of her life and work.

On January 10th. Kate Thornton died. In her, the Association lost one of its very active members to whom we owe much. In her many of us lost a valued friend whose warmth, whose interest, whose smile, whose wise counsel, we shall always remember, as we miss them greatly now.

Kate Thornton had been Lady MacKinnon’s successor as Secretary of the Bio-Dynamic Association, and when conversations started on the amalgamation with the Anthroposophical Agricultural Foundation, I met her frequently. I was much impressed by her personality which combined a very business-like approach with a warm humanity. That this merger came about so smoothly and that the membership of both organisations soon felt as one, was due in no small measure to the good will and the spirit of co-operation she showed. For several years she served on the Council of the now BioDynamie Agricultural Association. Her interest in our world was real and practical, and she dealt with all matters most efficiently, whether it was an enquiry for membership, whether it was practical gardening advice or the despatch of Preparations, or whether it had to do with the administration of the Bio-Dynamic Association Trust of which she was the Secretary until quite recently.

There is one period which I remember with special pleasure and gratitude: When in 1952 a large scale anthroposophiol conference was held in Bedford College, she tools a most active part in arranging the room devoted to an exhibition of bio-dynamic principles and work. It was an inspiration to work with her, because she was as co-operative in the realms of ideas and planning as she was painating in carrying out practical and bandun details.

Mra. Geuter visited her two or three days before her death bringing her our greetings and returning with hers and with her good wishes for the Circle Conference being held at Peredur. She was extremely weak, as she had been for some months past, but fully conscious and aware of the nearness of the end of this her earthly life. She died before our Conference we over, actually while we were listening to some beautiful Mozart music. She was near to us and we all felt that the remaining sessions were shared with her soul as she was leaving this world. May this experience of being so intimately connected with the passing of so loyal a friend, a faithful pupil of Rudolf Steiner be for all of us a lasting help in trying to work in the spirit in which Kate Thornton did. That would be the kind of memorial which he would like best; to let the memory of and the gratitude for her life be a source of strength in living and working as followers of St. Michael