1891 – 1986
Katharine Kennedy Brown was a prominent figure in national and local politics for over fifty years. She was the vice-chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1944-1952 and a member of the executive committee of the National Federation of Republican Women’s Clubs. She helped found the Ohio Federation of Republican Women’s Organizations and was a delegate-at-large for eight Republican national conventions. She served as an advisor to Ohio Governors Robert Taft and James Rhodes as well as to President Richard Nixon. Brown organized the Junior League of Dayton and was a board member of the Dayton Art Institute and Wilberforce University. Local legend has it that the curve in Interstate 75 fondly
termed “Malfunction Junction” came about when she successfully petitioned to have the highway routed around her large and elegant home.