1924
Katherine
2012
Katherine Witte
August 11, 1924 — August 4, 2012
Katherine Maxine Witte was born on August 11, 1924 in Anadarko, Oklahoma, to Terrence Victor and Melinda “Linnie†(Ridge) Maxson. She passed from this life on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at the age of 86 and will be waiting on us in Heaven.
On January 21, 1946, Katherine married her parents' paperboy, Cecil R. Witte, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Anadarko. To this union were born four children, Cecilia, Terrance, Melinda and Jerome.
During her junior high years, she would sneak to the studio of Mrs. R. L. Lawrence to take voice lessons, paid with money she earned cleaning house. When Mrs. Lawrence took her to Oklahoma City to audition, she impressed the judges with her beautiful soprano voice and they gave her the encouragement she needed to pursue her dream.
She graduated with the Anadarko High School Class of 1942. She was a member of the Honor Society and the Student Council. She was also a member of the Junior MacDowell Music Club which was sponsored by Mrs. Lawrence, performing for numerous civic and social events and also competing at the local and state level, achieving Superior Ratings. She worked at the 5 and Dime Store on South Broadway Street as a sales clerk while in high school.
After high school, she attended the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha on a music scholarship, majoring in voice. She worked in the dining room as a waitress and bussed tables to pay her way. She then attended Phillips University in Enid, also on a music scholarship. Cecil proposed to her while she was attending Phillips. After college, she worked for Southwestern Bell in an upstairs office in Anadarko as a telephone operator. After their marriage, Cecil and Katherine moved to Springfield, Colorado, where Cecil worked for a seismograph company. They moved back to Anadarko the same year, after the unexpected death of her mother.
Katherine moved to Glenhaven Retirement Center in Chickasha in December 2007. While there, she enjoyed playing bingo, making friends and spending time with her daughter, Melinda. She also enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune, science fiction and Western shows on the television. She was named Glenhaven's “Resident of the Month†in June 2012.
A member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Katherine has also been a member of the St. Patrick Women's Group, St. Patrick Choir, Better Homemakers, Association of American Retired Persons (AARP), National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Anadarko Chamberettes, and was a volunteer at Silvercrest Nursing Home for 6 years. She was also a precinct worker at the Anadarko Christian Center. In April 2012, she was elected President of the Glenhaven Resident Council.
She enjoyed crocheting until a fall resulted in a broken wrist. She was a great cook and had delight in giving her goods to others, especially her delicious persimmon cookies and zucchini cake. God blessed her with a very beautiful voice which she shared with others at numerous civic clubs, weddings and funerals, as well as at Mass and with the vocal groups to which she belonged during her time on earth.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil, on August 16, 2005; her parents; her daughter, Cecilia Kay Witte; her infant son, Jerome Karl Witte; her brother, Alvin Earl (Spec) Carey and her sister, Edith M. Carey Reed.
Survivors include daughter Melinda Witte, of Anadarko; son Terrance Witte, of Spring, Texas; grandchildren Amy Witte Glasgow, Teresa Witte Armstrong, Angela Witte Baker, Geoffrey Witte, Monty White and Marsha White Jobe; 13 great grandchildren; numerous great great grandchildren; many relatives and friends.
A Rosary will be held at 7 P.M., Tuesday, August 7, 2012, at the Steverson Funeral Home chapel. The Funeral Mass will be held at 10 A.M., Wednesday, August 8, 2012, at St. Patrick Catholic Church with Father Joseph Schwarz officiating. The Rite of Committal will follow Mass at Memory Lane Cemetery in Anadarko under the direction of Steverson Funeral Home Instead of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church or a charity of your choice.
On January 21, 1946, Katherine married her parents' paperboy, Cecil R. Witte, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Anadarko. To this union were born four children, Cecilia, Terrance, Melinda and Jerome.
During her junior high years, she would sneak to the studio of Mrs. R. L. Lawrence to take voice lessons, paid with money she earned cleaning house. When Mrs. Lawrence took her to Oklahoma City to audition, she impressed the judges with her beautiful soprano voice and they gave her the encouragement she needed to pursue her dream.
She graduated with the Anadarko High School Class of 1942. She was a member of the Honor Society and the Student Council. She was also a member of the Junior MacDowell Music Club which was sponsored by Mrs. Lawrence, performing for numerous civic and social events and also competing at the local and state level, achieving Superior Ratings. She worked at the 5 and Dime Store on South Broadway Street as a sales clerk while in high school.
After high school, she attended the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha on a music scholarship, majoring in voice. She worked in the dining room as a waitress and bussed tables to pay her way. She then attended Phillips University in Enid, also on a music scholarship. Cecil proposed to her while she was attending Phillips. After college, she worked for Southwestern Bell in an upstairs office in Anadarko as a telephone operator. After their marriage, Cecil and Katherine moved to Springfield, Colorado, where Cecil worked for a seismograph company. They moved back to Anadarko the same year, after the unexpected death of her mother.
Katherine moved to Glenhaven Retirement Center in Chickasha in December 2007. While there, she enjoyed playing bingo, making friends and spending time with her daughter, Melinda. She also enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune, science fiction and Western shows on the television. She was named Glenhaven's “Resident of the Month†in June 2012.
A member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Katherine has also been a member of the St. Patrick Women's Group, St. Patrick Choir, Better Homemakers, Association of American Retired Persons (AARP), National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Anadarko Chamberettes, and was a volunteer at Silvercrest Nursing Home for 6 years. She was also a precinct worker at the Anadarko Christian Center. In April 2012, she was elected President of the Glenhaven Resident Council.
She enjoyed crocheting until a fall resulted in a broken wrist. She was a great cook and had delight in giving her goods to others, especially her delicious persimmon cookies and zucchini cake. God blessed her with a very beautiful voice which she shared with others at numerous civic clubs, weddings and funerals, as well as at Mass and with the vocal groups to which she belonged during her time on earth.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil, on August 16, 2005; her parents; her daughter, Cecilia Kay Witte; her infant son, Jerome Karl Witte; her brother, Alvin Earl (Spec) Carey and her sister, Edith M. Carey Reed.
Survivors include daughter Melinda Witte, of Anadarko; son Terrance Witte, of Spring, Texas; grandchildren Amy Witte Glasgow, Teresa Witte Armstrong, Angela Witte Baker, Geoffrey Witte, Monty White and Marsha White Jobe; 13 great grandchildren; numerous great great grandchildren; many relatives and friends.
A Rosary will be held at 7 P.M., Tuesday, August 7, 2012, at the Steverson Funeral Home chapel. The Funeral Mass will be held at 10 A.M., Wednesday, August 8, 2012, at St. Patrick Catholic Church with Father Joseph Schwarz officiating. The Rite of Committal will follow Mass at Memory Lane Cemetery in Anadarko under the direction of Steverson Funeral Home Instead of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church or a charity of your choice.
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