Apr. 24, 1941 – Oct. 16, 2026
Katherine “Kitty” Burnett Porterfield, 85, of Alexandria, died on Oct. 16 surrounded by family and friends after an 18-month battle with breast cancer.
Kitty was born on April 24, 1941, in Albany, New York, to the Reverend Brewer L. Burnett, a Presbyterian minister, and Katherine Burnett (née Howland). She grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Radcliffe College of Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Government in 1963. That same year, she married Jovan Porterfield of Waxahachie, Texas. The couple settled in Alexandria, where they raised their three children. Jovan passed away in 2006.
Kitty dedicated over three decades of her life to public education and the arts. She served as communications director for Alexandria City Public Schools before becoming director of communications for Fairfax County Public Schools. At Fairfax County, she played a pivotal role during critical events such as 9/11 and the 2002 Northern Virginia sniper attacks, earning accolades from the U.S. Departments of Education and Homeland Security for her exceptional crisis communication efforts, including the prestigious National School Public Relations Gold Medallion.
A committed advocate for literacy and education, Kitty held leadership positions within the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, the Northern Virginia Community College Board and the USRowing Board of Directors. Her proudest achievement, however, was co-founding the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria in 1985, which has since awarded $25 million to over 6,000 Alexandria City Public Schools graduates, transforming countless lives through post-secondary education. Kitty’s legacy of compassion and dedication continues to inspire and uplift the community she served so selflessly.
Kitty traveled extensively, cherishing every corner of the globe, from Kathmandu to Tasmania. However, New Mexico held a special place in her heart, where she found joy and solace. She loved sharing her passion for travel with her mother and each of her grandchildren, and later enjoyed exploring new places with her companion, Bruce.
An avid supporter of the arts, she held season tickets for Arena Stage for many years and was a regular attendee at jazz concerts throughout the Washington area. Other passions over the years included photography, rowing and collecting antique prints and maps and Native American pottery. She devoted herself to a number of causes including Sibshops, which support siblings of children with disabilities.
She is survived by her brother, John Burnett, of Rochester, New York; her children, Karen Porterfield and her husband, Steve Gamble, of Washington, D.C.; Dr. Deborah Porterfield and her husband, Dr. Christopher Klipstein, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Michael Porterfield and his wife, Emily Porterfield, of Alexandria, Virginia; her five grandchildren, Keely Porterfield Harrah and her husband MacGreggor Harrah; Kirby Porterfield; Nicholas Klipstein; Braden Porterfield; and Catherine Klipstein; and her longtime companion, Bruce Miller.
A celebration of life will be held Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Russell Road in Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria or Jazz at Meade (Meade Memorial Episcopal Church).
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