Remembering Kathryn Petree

By Noa Berz     10/22/24 11:54pm

McMurtry College sophomore Kathryn Petree passed away due to cancer complications last Saturday, Oct. 12. Kathryn matriculated a semester late to complete chemotherapy treatments, but those close to her say she left a mark on everyone in her time at Rice. Above all else, she is survived by memories of her incredible generosity and optimism. 

Akshara Sankar, Kathryn’s Orientation Week sister, said she remembers going to Moody X-Fest with Kathryn in the spring of last year. Organizers were handing out free ice cream to everyone who attended; Sankar doesn’t eat dairy. She remembers Kathryn walked her all the way back to her dorm to give her a non-dairy ice cream sandwich Kathryn had in her freezer. 

“She would be open with what she was going through, [and] she always asked how you were doing, too,” Sankar said. “That was such a defining part of her. She was really generous in everything she did.” 

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Kathryn — an ‘orgo whiz’ — was eager to continue taking organic chemistry, despite reducing her course hours after hospitalization, said her O-Week sister Ann Antwi-Boasiako. She was just as enthusiastic about helping her peers with homework as she was about her own learning. 

Among friends, Kathryn was known for her unique hobbies and eclectic music taste. She loved all things food, baking with unlikely ingredients and making complicated coffee drinks — the outdoors, Sweetgreen salads and a penchant for gourmet cheese. 

“I'd always looked at Founder’s Court … and been like, ‘That'd be such a nice place to read a book.’ But I was too scared, there's always so many cars and students going by,” said Grace Dootlitte, Kathryn’s O-Week sister. “I walked out one Saturday, and she was just there, sprawled out on a picnic blanket reading a book … She made me brave, as silly as it sounds, to enjoy nature.” 

“She snuck away from MD Anderson without the doctors knowing to go to a [Greta Van Fleet] concert, even when she was stage four,” Doolittle continued. “That was really awesome of her.”

Religion was another important piece of Kathryn’s life. Brooklyn Freeman said she remembers meeting her for the first time at a Sunday church service in Houston. They bonded over mutual friends, and later attended public parties and prepared for Beer Bike together. 

Freeman remembers Kathryn as someone who appreciated and took full advantage of the opportunities she was granted, even as that became increasingly difficult.

“We met and she was just a bundle of joy, honestly, that's how I think most people would describe her,” Freeman, a sophomore, said. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to be friends with her.’” 

“Kathryn was a true embodiment of what gratitude means,” she continued. “I think that that's just one of the most special things about her, and that I hope to carry on for her – being grateful for the everyday things that we have.” 

Kathryn was open about her cancer but never let the illness define her, friends say. Antwi-Boasiako said she tried to stay light-hearted, often joking about her frustrations with the treatments and coming to campus daily, even as her treatments ramped up.

“As soon as she got to stage four, she was like, ‘I'm just gonna do everything I want now,’” Antwi-Boasiako said. “And she really did do that. She never stopped letting herself live and enjoy all the things that she loved.”

Those who knew her best said they remained in awe of Kathryn’s adventurous spirit, determination and relentless joy. Friends adored her quirkiness and kind heart, and her presence will be missed by the students and professors across campus who had the pleasure of knowing her.

“In spite of her death, I think what really needs to be focused on is the way that she lived,” Antwi-Boasiako said. “She lived so fearlessly and she did all the things that she loved.”

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