PHILADELPHIA, PA – Lillian Joan Coulter Rico (née Piekarski- Brzoska), lovingly known as “Joan,” passed away peacefully in hospice on May 26th, 2026, at the age of 93.
Joan was born on May 24th, 1933, in Southwick, Massachusetts, to Frank and Agnes Piekarski. She was the eldest of five children and grew up surrounded by family and the values that would guide her throughout her life.
After graduating from Westfield High School, Joan moved to Philadelphia, where she married her first husband, Murl McAfee Coulter. Together they shared 55 years of marriage before Murl’s passing. Later in life, Joan found love again and spent 15 happy years married to her husband, Humberto Rico.
A natural entrepreneur and talented cook, Joan founded Kathe Catering in the 1960s and spent more than six decades building a business that became known for exceptional food and heartfelt service. Weddings were her specialty, and she often delighted in the fact that she first catered the weddings of young couples and, years later, the weddings of their children. Many returning customers would tell her the same thing: it was the best food they had ever had.
While catering was her profession, helping others was her calling. Joan often said her favorite hobby was “doing good works.” Whether driving friends and neighbors to medical appointments, helping them navigate complicated healthcare decisions, or simply offering support when it was needed most, she devoted countless hours to caring for others. Her kindness, generosity, and willingness to help touched many lives.
Joan was also an active member of the Northeast Senior Center in Philadelphia, where she taught Spanish classes. It was there that she met Humberto, who joined the class to improve his English. What began in a classroom grew into a loving partnership that enriched both of their lives.
Joan is survived by her husband, Humberto Rico; her brothers, Tom and Greg; her sons, Tom and Doug; her daughter, Toni; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kathe; her brother, Francis “Sonny” Piekarski; and her sister, Phyllis. Joan remained close to Humberto’s children and grandchildren over the years, and they became an important part of her extended family.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 6th, at 10:00 a.m. at Oakland Cemetery. In accordance with her wishes, Joan will be cremated, and her ashes will be laid to rest in the family plot alongside her husband, Murl, and daughter, Kathe. A luncheon will follow, with details to be shared at the service. Oakland Cemetery is located at 4650 Ramona Avenue, corner of Adams Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124, 215-743-6877.
