Lasting Memories

Kathryn E. Reitman
Feb. 21, 1950-June 10, 2024
Redwood City, California

Kathryn “Kit” Elliott Reitman passed away peacefully surrounded by Family at the age of 74 on June 10th, 2024. She was born on February 21, 1950 in Newark, NJ. Kit is a 1968 Graduate of Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ. She spent a year at Skidmore College and in 1970 transferred to Colgate University, as part of the First Female Class to arrive — graduating in 1972 with a concentration in Psychology. Kit began her graduate work at Stanford University studying for a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy and completing her degree at the University of California, SF.

Kit is the youngest of 3 girls — born to Peg and Raymond Reitman. Kit is the last of Frank Henry Reitman’s Grandchildren to bear the Reitman name.

From 1977-1984 Kit worked at 3 different Physical Therapy Centers and in 1984 she founded Reitman Physical Therapy. Kit was a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (Orthopedic and Private Practice sections), the California Private Practice Special Interest Group, the North American Institute of Manual Therapy (which she helped found), and the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. The North American Institute is an organization of continuing education, developed in order to better the standard of musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Reitman’s philosophy is that everyone is a unique human being. Therapy is therefore very individual and is developed around each person’s needs.

Kit is a beloved Sister, cherished Daughter & Granddaughter, devoted Aunt, Cousin, Friend, Mentor and lover of animals and of her many cats and her Llamas Jackson, Jedi and Raj. She was a newly minted bridge player and a voracious reader: Always sharing the best book recommendations with her friends and family. She was an avid outdoor enthusiast and treasured The Reitman Family lake house in Maine, where she vacationed every summer — despite her 45 year residence in Northern CA. Kit will be remembered mostly for her: beautiful smile, stunning beauty, infectious laugh, brilliant mind, zest and passion for life, extraordinary baking & cooking skills and her outsized love of the outdoors. She valued a good laugh and was notably funny herself and was a wonderful conversationist. Her personal mantra was: “Hike, swim, ski, kayak and travel!” An exceptional and determined athlete and adventurer — she passed this and her love of family and of Maine onto her 3 Nieces: Kim, Kristy and Dana.

Kit is survived by her many decades-long friendships stemming from childhood in NJ at Columbia High School, her Redwood City community and her College and PT School; along with her Sisters, Meg and Liz (she refers to as “her everything”) and including her cousin Billie Ehrlich Fisch who predeceased her though was like a Sister), her brothers in law David Lowenstein and Howard Jacobs, her Nieces Kim Jacobs, Kristy Maslin (Jon) and Dana Siegel (Doug) and her Grand Nephews and Grand Niece: Jake Maslin, Luke Maslin, Zach Siegel and Lily Siegel.