AUBURN – Kathleen M. Whalen, 61, of 71 Boulder Drive, Auburn, died Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Hospice House, after a long battle with cancer.

She was born in Boston, on Sept. 19, 1946, the daughter of Stephen and Katherine McGrath Sahagian. Educated in Massachusetts schools, she was a graduate of Watertown High School, Class of 1964. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Southern Maine in 1971, and was awarded a master’s degree in education from the university in 1997.

She was employed for 30 years by the Lewiston school district as a teacher in the gifted and talented program, retiring in 2006. On Sept. 7, 1968, she married John M. Whalen, Esq., in Belmont, Mass.

A member of St. Philip’s parish, Kat enjoyed singing, reading, and loved to cook for her family and friends.

Survivors include her loving husband of Auburn; her mother, Katherine Sahagian of Watertown, Mass.; two sons, Stephen and wife, Jasmine, of Brookline, Mass., and Jim of Brighton, Mass.; a daughter, Kate and husband, Christopher Hazel, of Ithaca, N.Y.; two brothers, Stephen and wife, Jane Sahagian, of Belmont, Mass., and Gregory Sahagian of Boston, Mass.; three sisters, Joan Sahagian of Lorton, Va., Barbara Hamilton of Suffolk, England, and Ann Sahagian of Arlington, Mass.; and five grandchildren, Maiya and Myles Whalen, Oscar and Xavier Hazel, and Milani Whalen.

She was predeceased by her father, Stephen Sahagian.