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Katherine Anne Crofton - Class of 1984

Submitted by Bill Norvell 1965 <w.norvell@att.net> on 06/Jan/2023
107.145.178.172

    Katherine Anne Crofton, July 8, 1966 - December 19, 2022. "Kathy", age 56, was tragically stabbed in Buffalo, NY, on December 19, 2022 and sadly died.
           Kathy was born on July 8th, 1966, in The Bronx, NY, to Bartlett R. Crofton Jr. "Butch" and Diana Crofton. Kathy and her family moved to Newburgh, NY in 1978. She became a single mother to Kenneth Andrew Crofton in 1985. Kathy worked at West Point for many years as secretary in the Water Treatment Plant. She loved music and singing, and was a wonderful cook. A car accident eventually led to a life of chronic pain and hardships in life. But she was known to always want to help others despite her struggles. She volunteered with the Marlboro Fire Department and Ambulance Corps. She spent several days after 9/11 helping out at Ground Zero. She later moved to Valley Stream, NY and became a home health aid to an elderly woman needing round-the-clock care. When her son Kenny went to college at SUNY Buffalo, got married and started a family, she moved to Buffalo to be near her three grandchildren, the loves of her life and greatest treasure. Most recently, she lived across the street from the Tops supermarket in Buffalo and worked there, and was outside with her dog when she witnessed the tragic shooting in May 2022 and called 911. She was interviewed by several news agencies for her accounting of what she witnessed. Kathy and her outgoing personality will be dearly missed by family and friends.

Kathy is predeceased by her father, Bartlett Crofton Jr. and we hope that they are at peace together. Kathy is survived by her son, Kenneth Crofton, his wife, Laura Crofton, her grandchildren Maggie, Penny, and Angus Crofton, of Buffalo, NY, her mother Diana Crofton in Buffalo, NY, her brother, Bartlett R. Crofton III (Bobby), sister-in-law, Catherine Crofton, nephew Trevor Crofton, niece Julia Crofton, of Gardiner, NY, sister Christina Crofton, of Cape Coral, FL, niece Diana Smith, of Amarillo, TX, sister Linda Kopczynski, brother-in-law Pawel Kopczynski, and niece and nephew Elizabeth and Joseph Kopczynski, of Bandon, Ireland.
      In lieu of a traditional service, Kathy would have liked for her family and friends to have toast in her honor while thinking of fun times. We would also like to encourage everyone to check in on and support family and friends with chronic illnesses.

As reported in the Buffalo News

A 56-year-old Buffalo woman was fatally stabbed Monday night and a 45-year-old man was charged Tuesday with manslaughter in the death, Buffalo police announced. The victim was identified as Katherine Crofton. Police said they received a call around 10:40 p.m. regarding a stabbing on Riley Street, at Jefferson Avenue. Patrol officers arrived at the scene to find Crofton with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to Erie County Medical Center where she died of her injuries. On Tuesday, detectives arrested Otis Johnson, and charged him with first-degree manslaughter. Police said he was arrested without incident.
       Crofton was a witness to the May 14 massacre at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue. She told a Buffalo News reporter shortly after the mass shooting that she saw it unfold from the porch of her second-floor apartment on Riley, which overlooks the parking lot of the supermarket. She said she was playing with her dog and smoking a cigarette when she heard a shot. "I didn't see him at first, I turned around and I saw him shoot this woman, Crofton said. She was just going into the store. And then he shot another woman. She was putting groceries into her car. I got down because I did not know if he was going to shoot me. She said she was a retired firefighter and medic.