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Oral History of Katherine Mazzaferri
This is a postscript to the oral history of Katherine Mazzaferri.
MS. STEWARD: We have spoken about your work life, and we haven’t touched much on
the rest of your life. Now that you are retired and have time for you, tell us
how you spend your time.
MS. MAZZAFERRI: While I was working at the D.C. Bar, my daughter was born. She’s now
full grown and is a social worker, a psychotherapist. She’s a very sensitive
and talented therapist, and I could not be more proud of her. During my
retirement, it’s been a great joy to be able to spend more time with her.
While I was working, I kept some activities going. For example,
when I moved from Philadelphia to New York and then to Washington
D.C., I took with me the fine cello my mother had bought for me when I
was 13. I played it periodically while I was working. But in retirement, I
found an opportunity to get back to it in a wonderful way and to have a
terrific teacher, which makes it very special. My mother always would say
that music feeds the soul. I agree.
I’ve also been studying Italian for many years. But for the past
twenty or so, I have studied with a very talented teacher at the Italian
Cultural Institute. I have a group of classmates with whom I’ve been on
this journey, which has made it a wonderful experience.
Travelling, especially to Italy, is always a high point in my life. I
never tire of learning about the art and culture of the homeland of three of
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my grandparents. And being able to visit some former neighbors and now
close friends in Rome is a gift.
Over the years as I became active in a Unitarian Universalist
congregation in Bethesda, Maryland, I had a chance to take on some
leadership roles. This experience was intriguing because I was both a
student and a proponent of leadership training at the D.C. Bar. My role in
the religious community enabled me to figure out how some of those
leadership skills worked in practice. The congregation also has been a
source of true friendships. That’s been a plus for me.
Recently I began to attend a storytelling class with another gifted
teacher who is an accomplished actress. It’s been a very fun experience.
And having brunch and dinners with my extended family and
friends is a pleasure, especially if we can be in the garden. Speaking of the
garden, although my mother was a serious gardener, I never thought I’d
become one. But as I mentioned earlier, gardening has given me an
opportunity to practice my creative talents. Even in this activity, I have a
teacher, a skilled horticulturist who advises on plants and design.
So, learning and expanding my world has been an integral part of
life for me while I was working, but even more so in my retirement.
Acknowledgements
There are a number of thank-you’s that I would like to offer. First, I want to thank Annamaria
Steward for always being at the ready to conduct an interview and for being so thorough in the
process.
Next, I want to thank Cynthia Hill who has been my sounding board and editor throughout. It
felt like an extension of our work at the D.C. Bar. I am grateful for her time and friendship.
I also want to thank some of my long-ago colleagues and friends for being willing to reminisce
about the past. Sue Ross, Nancy Stanley, Judy Potter, Judith Lichtman, Trudy Levy, Joan
Messing Graff, and Monika Kalra Varma were all key in refreshing my present recollection. I
offer a special thanks to Maureen Thornton Syracuse who provided some of the nuances and
details that I otherwise would have missed.
Then there are the late Steve Pollak, the first chair, and Linda Ferren, the first executive director,
of the D.C. Circuit Historical Society, both of whom encouraged me (repeatedly) to sit for the
oral history. Finally, I appreciate the work of Sandy Freedman, who so diligently transcribed and
finalized the manuscript.