Katherine ReFina Saunders

Saunders, Katherine ReFina - Age 86, of Swartz Creek, formerly of Burton, died August 20, 2025. Memorial service will be announced at a later date. Arrangements provided by Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center 6063 Fenton Rd. Grand Blanc. Those desiring may make contributions to the Flint Public Library.

Katherine was born March 8, 1939 in Flint, the daughter of Clifford and Etta (Putnam) DuCap. She earned and Associates of Arts from Mott Community College, Bachelor of Science and Education from Central Michigan University, and Masters of Arts from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her continuing education included the National Issues Forum at Miami University in Oxford, OH, Business and Management Conferences at George Washington University, Harvard Graduate School of Business, and Advanced Seminars for the Girls Scouts of the United States of America.

Katherine had been actively involved in improving the lives of women and girls since she was in her teens, becoming even more active when she began working for the Flint Community Schools. After working six years as an elementary school teacher she went on to work as an instructional specialist for the Flint Community Schools. She was then named the executive director of the Flint Genesee Community Coordinated Child Care Association. She was asked by Dr. John T. Dempsey, Director of the Michigan Department of Social Services, to be the special assistant for children and families. After her work for the Department of Social Services she worked as a consultant through her own firm, K.R. Saunders and Associates. She then served as CEO of the Fair Winds Girl Scout Council, and went on to Arizona to serve as CEO of the Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Upon returning from Arizona Mrs. Saunders worked through K.R. Saunders & Associates as a resource consultant on projects and collaborations with many different agencies.

Mrs. Saunders was the author of A Chronicle of FEMALE FIRSTS in Genesee County in the 1990's. This was distributed to all eighth-grade classes in public and private schools in Genesee County.

Mrs. Saunders was also active in community life and a member of a number of organizations including Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Alpha Omega Flint Chapter, Zonta International, Flint Women's Forum, Rotary Club of Flint, Rotary International, and the Flint District Library Board. She served on the Board of Directors for the organizations, as well as service as President and Vice-President for many of them. She was also honored many times as outstanding member or chairperson with many of these organizations.

Mrs. Saunders has been honored with numerous awards, including the Sylvester Broome Jr. Humanitarian Award, Genesee County Probate Judges Appreciation of Service to Youth, Rotary Club of Flint Vocational Award, Flint Public Library Appreciation Award, The Bookend Award from the Friends of the Flint Public Library. She was recognized for her work as an adult literacy tutor by the Genesee Literary Coalition; and for her work to benefit the child welfare system by the Michigan Association of Children's Agencies. She was also recognized by Cambridge Who's Who as a VIP member of executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs. She received the Libby Award (Olivia "Libby" Maynard) as an advocate for women and girls in Genesee County. Most recently in 2022 she was awarded the Mott Community College Distinguished Alumni Award.

She was married to Richard Saunders, who preceded her in death on April 19, 2023. Both loved dancing and the outdoors. They shared great pride in the many achievements of their son Robert. They canoed the length of the Manistee River six summers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness in Minnesota and the Okeefenokee Swamp in Georgia. They backpacked the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. The also hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and slept in the rain overnight. Next came Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and the Needles. They found beautiful vistas at the top of Pitamakin Mountain in Glacier National Park. Five days backpacking in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona revealed yet another kind of beauty. The desert had flooded for the first time in one hundred years and it was like a huge flower garden. The temperate rain forest of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington revealed yet another kind of beauty.

Katherine is survived by her son, Robert Saunders (Elena Kostik) of Chelmsford, MA.; and the large family of her late brother James DuCap. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and brother, James DuCap.

Tributes may be shared on the obituaries page at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.