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Obituary:  Kristin Ann Mortimer (1950-2022)

by Boston Globe | Aug 01, 2022

Kristin Ann Mortimer will be remembered for her intelligence, kindness and keen sense of humor. Kristin Ann Mortimer, 72, passed away on July 14, 2022 after a long battle with cancer.

She was born to Harriet and Robert Mortimer, grew up in Bound Brook, New Jersey, and spent much of her life in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kristin received her B.A. from Wellesley College in 1971 where she majored in art history and music and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She received her PhD from Harvard University and wrote Harvard University Art Museums: A Guide to the Collections (1986).

She became Curator of the collection of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Director of the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum where she was also an assistant professor in the Art Department, and the Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut.

In addition to her interest in art, Kristin was active in several charitable organizations in the Boston area. She served as co-president of the Board of Trustees of Cambridge At Home, member of the Board of Advisors of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and member of the Board of Governors of the Longy School of Music. She was also a member of the Society of Architectural Historians, British Archaeological Association, International Center of Medieval Art and the Medieval Academy of America.

Kristin will be remembered for her intelligence, kindness and keen sense of humor as well as her interest in travel, education, medieval sculpture and love of animals, particularly her cats. She is survived by her brother, Peter M. Mortimer (Sharon), niece Katherine Mortimer Anderson, nephew Trever S. Mortimer (Emily), nephew Peter O. Mortimer (Amanda), and seven grandnieces and grandnephews: Jack Mortimer, Henry Anderson, Emma Mortimer, Hadley Mortimer, Charlie Anderson, Paige Mortimer and Oliver Mortimer. She will be deeply missed by her family and her many friends. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 or to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

Kristin Ann  Mortimer joined SAH in 1990.

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