Kathleen M. "Miss Kitty" Ennis

Kathleen Mildred Ennis, affectionately known by many as “Miss Kitty,” passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 3, 2026, at the family farm where she had spent so much of her life. She was 97 years old.

Born December 10, 1928, in Princess Anne, Maryland, Kathleen was the daughter of Harold Dean Orvis Sr. and Fannie Georgia Leamon Orvis. She grew up on the Eastern Shore and would go on to build a life deeply rooted in family, hard work, and the traditions she held dear.

On March 17, 1946, at just 17 years old, Kathleen married Sidney Carroll Ennis. They remained devoted to one another for more than five decades, until his passing in 1998. Together, they raised their family and built a life centered around farming, trucking, and the people they loved.

Kathleen was the true backbone of her husband’s farming and trucking operation. She was a woman who believed that hard work was best accompanied by a good meal and that no one working on the farm should ever go hungry. She could often be found preparing home-cooked meals for the workers and, rather than simply sending food along, she would bring tables and chairs, complete with real plates and silverware, wherever the work was taking place. Caring for others was simply part of who she was.

She was also known for her cooking - a gift that will be deeply missed by generations of her family. Her recipes were rarely written down, and measurements were more of a suggestion than a rule. She cooked by instinct, knowing somehow how much of this and a little of that was just right. Family members may try for years to recreate her dishes, but there was something about Miss Kitty’s cooking that could never quite be replicated.

In her later years, Kathleen lived with family and found joy in the simple things. She especially loved spending time watching her great-grandchildren grow and, in a tradition that brought her great pleasure, getting her hair done twice a week. She remained surrounded by the people who loved her most.

Kathleen is survived by her children, Bonnie Jean Grangier; Kathy Lynn Thomas and her husband, Barry; Nena Marie Horner and her husband, Frank; and, her daughter-in-law, Sharon Ennis, wife of her late son William Carroll Ennis. As well as nephews, Mike King and his wife Janice and Gary King and his wife Cathy. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sidney Carroll Ennis; sons William Carroll Ennis and Robert Charles Ennis; and son-in-law Ronnie Grangier.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Scott Ennis, Shawn Ennis, Kip Grangier, Jessica Grangier, Shelby Allen, Kristen Rop, Michael King, and Marcie Figgs, and was preceded in death by grandchildren Mark Ennis and Allison Ginnavan.

Kathleen was also a beloved great-grandmother to more than a dozen great-grandchildren, who brought her tremendous joy in her later years.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Harold Dean Orvis Jr.

Kathleen’s life was one of devotion - to her husband, her children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and the family farm that remained a special part of her life. She leaves behind a legacy of hard work, hospitality, family traditions, and love that will continue through the generations.Those who knew her as Miss Kitty will remember her warm kitchen, her unwavering work ethic, her generous table, and the unmistakable taste of food made without a recipe. She was home, surrounded by family and the farm she loved, and she left this world as peacefully as she lived her later years.

Services will be private.  Donations in her memory may be made to First Baptist Church of Princess Anne.