Blue Hill
1937-2019
On April 29, 2019, Katrina Rozendaal Parson passed away from complications due to ALS. Katrina was 82 years old and was accompanied by her children and many loving friends and family on the final leg of her journey.
Katrina was born on Feb. 4, 1937, in Scranton, Pa., the daughter of Dr. Hans Rozendaal and Katherine Scranton. Katrina and her younger brother Jan Rozendaal of Burlington, Vt., and sister Anneka Scranton of San Luis Obispo, Calif., remained close their entire lives. Katrina went to Miss Halls School, and then on to Smith College, where she earned a BA in history in 1958. She later earned a master’s degree in organizational psychology from New York University.
Katrina married Robert Woodman Harris in September 1957. They lived in Greenwich, Conn., for 25 years. “Trine and Woody” had three children: Wendie Woodman Demuth, Joseph Scranton Harris and Jan William Harris, and there are now seven grandchildren. Katrina was divorced from Mr. Harris and was remarried to Frank Parson in 1985. They moved from Connecticut to Brooklin, and later Blue Hill, where she lived for the past 30 years.
Katrina devoted her professional career to mission-based, nonprofit organizations and was a tireless advocate and fundraiser for numerous causes. From 1968-1978, Katrina was president of The Family Center of Greenwich, the Junior League of Greenwich and director of operations for The Mead School for Human Development. From 1980-85, Katrina was director of planning for the United Way of Greenwich, and then became the CEO of the YWCA of Greenwich from 1985-1990.
Trine moved with Frank Parson to Brooklin in 1990. It wasn’t long before she became heavily involved in local nonprofits, beginning with Downeast Horizons. She became the president of the board of Blue Hill Hospital and also led their Capital Fund Drive. She was campaign chairwoman for fundraising for the Eastern Maine Medical Center Cancer Center outside Bangor. Katrina was on the board of the George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill for many years and was a devoted and successful fundraiser for the school as well.
When not working for her many nonprofit causes, Katrina enjoyed tennis, sailing and hiking, and was part of an all-female hiking club that took on over 20 challenging hikes all over the United States and Europe. Trine very much enjoyed her book club and “Thirsty Thursday” women’s discussion group in Blue Hill, and was a founder of Colloquy Downeast; a series of thoughtful discussions on topics of general interest. She also helped found the 40/15 tennis center in Blue Hill, and sang for many years with the Bagaduce Chorale in Blue Hill.
Katrina had a keen intellect, sharpened by a top-tier education and a lifetime of thoughtful inquiry. She loved music, the opera and piano, which she played for many years, especially enjoying her lessons from friend and teacher Paul Sullivan in Brooklin. She loved sailing her beloved Concordia Yawl, named Katrina by her father Hans. The S/V Katrina was a fixture on Eggomoggin Reach for many years, and now resides in Rockport, having been faithfully passed along to her children.
Katrina Rozendaal Parson was an exceptional daughter, sister, wife, mother, and citizen who touched many and will be sorely missed by all.