Katherine Dalton Dixon, known to all as Kay, died peacefully at her home in West Grove, Pa. on June 19.

Kay was born in Lake Forest, Ill. in 1949, the daughter of Eliot Wadsworth Dalton and Marie Hulburd Dalton.

She was a consistent source of positive energy and compassion for her family and her community. She graduated from Stoneleigh-Burnham School and attended the University of Denver.

Kay was an avid photographer throughout her life. She was in her element behind a camera. Her career included work for Woodfin Camp Photography in Philadelphia and ImageBank in London.

By the time her sons were teenagers, the phrase “Mom...another photo?! Of us, really?” was common. Luckily her insistence prevailed and she left behind a comprehensive body of work including family portraits, documentary travel photography and landscapes celebrating the natural beauty of Chester County and Martha’s Vineyard.

Water was a central theme in her life. From her early photos of Greece and its fishing community, to her love of the beach cultivated during her time on Martha’s Vineyard, to her 21 years of work in development at the Stroud Water Research Center in Avon Grove, Pa., she was always a fan of both fresh and saltwater.

She was a dedicated mother and her sons and extended family were central in her life. She always encouraged her sons to explore and adventure, which they did by studying and living abroad and settling in the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest.

During her final weeks, her home became a center of bustling activity with visitors streaming in and out every day to share in her gratitude and love, a testament to the deep friendships and connections she had developed.

She is survived by her two sons, Philip Dixon and his wife Sofia Chaparro of Denver, Colo., and William Dixon III and his partner Brad Thompson of Paulsbo, Wash.; her grandson and the light of her life, Diego Luis Dixon; her sisters Julia Keane of Louisville, Colo. and Marie Dalton-Meyer and her husband Les Meyer of Burlington, Vt., and her brother Eliot W. Dalton and his wife Letitia Baer Dalton of Kennett Square, Pa.. and three nieces and three nephews whom she adored, as they did her.

She is also survived by her former husband, William Dixon, Jr. She was predeceased by her parents.

Kay will be dearly missed but her spirit of grace and compassion will continue to guide all who were blessed to know her. A celebration of life will be held in Avon Grove, Pa. on August 10 and burial services are to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Stroud Water Research Center honoring Kay’s legacy.