Katharine Perera, who has died at the age of 72, was, along with her husband Suria, an active and much loved member of our parish community. She created this prize-winning publication in the form we know it today and edited it for the last eight years. As a member of the PCC, a church warden and ultimately the person who held the reins of the parish during our recent interregnum, her unobtrusive, calm and thoughtful guidance has been enormously valued.
Born in 1943 in London, she survived the blitz and meningitis (an early beneficiary of penicillin), then spent her schooldays in the Wirral before returning to London to take a degree in English Language and Literature at Bedford College. A spell of VSO teaching in Malaysia followed where she met Suria.
During a distinguished academic career as a teacher, then lecturer in English and Linguistics, she wrote and lectured extensively on the development of children’s reading and writing and acted as advisor to the Department of Education and Science, the BBC and Thames TV. As Senior Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Manchester when the amalgamation with UMIST took place, she successfully integrated the two academic communities. Katharine was uniquely equipped for this sensitive and difficult task, combining as she did great firmness of resolve with extraordinary sensitivity and humanity.
Her Women in Leadership programme fundamentally changed the role of women in the University, witness the 67 female professors from around the world who, on hearing of her illness, wrote to express their thanks for Katharine’s inspirational influence. They speak of her warmth, generosity, compassion and kindness, her ability to make others feel special and confident in themselves.
In 2013 she received the University of Manchester’s most prestigious award, the Medal of Honour, and in 2016 became only the sixth person ever to be awarded the Freedom of the Parish of Bowdon.
However, we shall remember her most for her warm smile and her unfailing interest in and care for each of us as individuals. Her faith was a great example to all of us and she was an invigorating person to be with even in the last days of her illness. And when we are in a tricky situation, no doubt her wise words will come back to us. Perhaps that will be her greatest legacy.
Standing Committee
On behalf of Bowdon Church of England