Katharine Downey Hart, 88 of Duxbury, died Dec. 21, 2010 at home with her family at her side. Mrs. Hart was born in Scarsdale, N.Y. in 1922 to Helen Whitlock and Bradford Downey.

She spent a number of her early years living in England. She graduated from Emma Willard School in 1940.  She attended Smith College and graduated cum laude in 1944. It was during her time at Smith that she met her husband, Bill, an Amherst College football player.   They were married on May 6, 1945.  After several years living in Pleasantville, N.Y., the couple moved to Bethesda, Md. in 1961 where they raised their family.  Mr. and Mrs. Hart moved to Duxbury in 1984. Mrs. Hart was an avid bridge player and a docent and board member of Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth.

Mrs. Hart leaves her husband, William C. Hart.; her children, Deborah Hart of Vineyard Haven, Henry Ashton Hart and his wife Anne May of Alexandria, Va., and Bradford Downey Hart and his wife Susan Selkaitis of Greenwich, Ct.;  three grandchildren and many other family members. She was preceded in death by her brother, Robert Downey.

A memorial service will be held Jan. 16 at the Duxbury Senior Center.  In lieu of flowers, a donation to Pilgrim Hall Museum may be made in her memory.