Kathleen "Kathy" Theresa Flores (1955-2021)

Our dear friend, Kathy Flores, has passed after a year-long battle with metastatic colon cancer. She remained wonderfully stubborn and determined up to the last minute. Kathy was preceded in death by her mother Catharine (nee Miles) and father Joseph Flores. Born February 7, 1955, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kathy grew up in New Jersey "Down the Shore" and attended Monmouth Regional High School. She earned a Bachelor’s in Physical Education from East Stroudsburg University, attending on a javelin scholarship.

She started a Master’s degree program in Exercise Physiology at Florida State University in 1978, where she started playing rugby at number eight and scrum-half. Kathy’s immense love of this sport contributed to four FSU National Championships and most importantly her life-long friendships. Having discovered her life’s passion, she played and coached on numerous teams, including the USA Women’s National team, Berkeley All Blues, San Francisco Fog, Bay Area Touring Side, University of San Francisco Women’s, Cal Berkeley Women’s, Pacific Coast Regional, All-Star Women’s team, and Providence Women’s team.

In 2013, she accepted the head coach position at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. This job was groundbreaking because Brown Women’s Rugby would be playing at the NCAA Division I varsity level. Her tenure at Brown University was the realization of her “dream job” --- being paid to do what she loved, which was to coach, inspire, mentor and develop women not only in rugby but into strong, confident and self-assured young women. Her “dream job” will live on thanks to the generosity of two Brown University alumni, Joan and Paul Sorensen, who established the Kathy Flores Head Coaching Chair for Women's Rugby at Brown University; it recognizes and honors Kathy’s contributions as a pioneer coach, educator and mentor.

Kathy had collegiate and national team successes, along with many individual awards, including induction into the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame. Always modest and humble, she said in an interview, “I have been lucky enough to have been part of several national titles and one international title. I have enjoyed playing so much that I don’t have one moment that sticks out more than the other as a favorite.”

Kathy will be missed immeasurably by players, teammates, colleagues, family and friends. Thank you all who sent texts, cards, letters, videos, flowers, plants, food, and Hawaiian lei. She read them all and felt the love of her rugby family. Kathy has asked that if you wish to pay tribute, please donate to a dog rescue shelter (her canine children: Megan, Keeghan, Marty and Manny), Southeastern Guide Dogs or U.S. Women’s Rugby Foundation. The Foundation has established a Kathy Flores Memorial Fund. Go to: https://www.uswrf.org to read more about Kathy and make a donation in her honor.

Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm" and the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm." (engraved on Kathy's bracelet).

Services will be private.

Arrangements entrusted to the J. F. Skeffington Funeral Home & Cremations, 925 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence.

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