A Memorial Tribute has been established through the American Floral Endowment ( AFE ) honoring Kathleen ' Katie ' Kennicott , who passed away on October 13 , 2023 , at the age of 86 .
Many in the floral industry knew Katie Kennicott better as the gay , shrewd , and engaging married woman ( 64 year ) of Harrison ' Red ' Kennicott of the Chicago - found wholesale distributor Kennicott Brothers Company ; however , Katie also played a direct purpose in the society ’s achiever . Over more than 60 long time of active involution in the flowered industry , she showed a special gift for making strong connective with customers , suppliers , and others — connections that have avail to change the face of the industry .
Katie see Red when both were bookman at Michigan State University ; they get married the summertime after Red graduate in 1959 . While Red went directly into the mob line of work for five years , Katie pursued the career she had prepared for , teaching math to 8th - graders .
finally , however — and perhaps inescapably , given her ability — she was drawn into service with Kennicott Brothers as a customer relation representative . This was at a clip when , as Katie herself related in an consultation conducted in the fall of 2018 , " There were no women in the sweeping flowers business at all . Zero . "
She take to it like a duck to water system , quickly establishing rapport with Kennicott Brothers ' retail florist customer , who were mostly fair sex , see their location and rapidly becoming a supporter . She always followed up each sojourn with a personal note . She visited prospects as well as customer . Many , even if they did not become client , became lifelong friends .
Katie used to tell the story of visiting one customer who had n’t made any purchase from Kennicott Brothers for a while . The client explained why she was angry : she could not get a 72 - cent charge , one that she regarded as erroneous , removed from her bill . The charge had already be Kennicott ’s century of buck worth of business . Katie not only anticipate to get the charge removed , she learn 72 penny out of her pocketbook and hand it to the client . It took that personal visit and a woman - to - char talk to straighten the situation out .
In part because of Katie ’s role and presence , around this time , the Wholesale Florists & Florist Suppliers Association ( WF&FSA ) organized a board at its one-year convention have women loss leader like Arlene Sorensen of Lincoln Wholesale Florists Co. in Lincoln , Nebraska , who later became a chair of WF&FSA . The panel label a turn point and a novel earned run average for women in the sweeping florist business .
Over a period of at least 40 years , Katie hail along with Red to nearly every WF&FSA and SAF yearly convention , tone the company ’s link to supplier as well as to customers and always hand back to the diligence . Together , they help oneself establish and became establish members of AFE ’s Legacy Circle , an honorary group of industry members who made preparation for a planned gift to AFE to support the work of the Endowment .
When cut - flush production begin to pitch to South America , she travel with her husband to meet with growers and shipper , helping to ground relationship in a fresh and unfamiliar part of the world .
This was in an geological era when Colombia was wrack with polite strife . Katie and Red were visiting the Medellin domain around the time that drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot and kill by the Colombian internal police . " Peasants from the fields , where they were growing coca , were flip off their lands , " Katie later recalled . " And the flower growers down there took all those people in , put up them , put them to ferment , and educated the kids . We were down there , and we pronounce , we can help . "
With willing help from employee , supporter , customers , and industry mate , Katie organized clothing drives that have much - want help to the separated flower farm employees . The clothing drives , however , were among many philanthropic cause that Katie and Red have supported over the years , in and out of the industriousness , on a local and national level .
On top of her work for Kennicott Brothers , her other industry natural action , and being an avid Cubs fan , Katie was a mom to five kids , a grannie to 14 , and had 11 great - grandchildren and one great - great - grandchild . A son , Stephen , and granddaughter , Paige , are employed at Kennicott Kuts , the web of flower farm narrow in peonies that began in Illinois in 1836 and today stretches from Chile to Alaska .
Katie ’s was a life that equal many other lives . Those who knew her will remember her saying , " That was fun . " So , it was .
There will be a private family service and a Celebration of Life planned for a late time .
This Memorial Tribute Fund has been established to forever abide by Katie and her bequest . contribution to the Katie Kennicott Memorial Tribute can be made online here or by ship a check with this mannequin to :
American Floral Endowmentc / o Katie Kennicott Memorial Tribute610 Madison Street , Suite 101 , PMB 803Alexandria , VA 22314
