Kathleen Margaret Waller

1937 - 2017

Kathleen Margaret Waller, 79, passed away Thursday, June 1, 2017, in the comfort of her home. A private memorial service is being held in her honor. As a child growing up in London, England in the 1940's, air raid warnings and bomb shelters were a daily part of Kathy's life. From her young perspective the setting was filled with adventure. She explored bombed ruins, adopted stray animals including mice, and encountered heroic American troops who had funny accents and handed out chewing gum. When she was in her early 20's, she saved up her resources to immigrate to the United States. She left behind the gray skies of London and started over as an au pair in the sunny desert of Palm Springs, Calif. After a few years, her next stop was Tulsa, Okla., where she met Jerry Waller. He would be her husband for over forty years, until his untimely death in 2013. Kathy was admired for her bravery from surviving the war to surviving cancer, from escaping childhood abuse to protecting others as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Kathy's strong will was tested more times than seems imaginable and could fill a bookshelf with volumes of memoirs. She will be dearly missed for her gift of turning her experiences, both good and bad, into colorful and often hilarious stories. Her children and grandchildren will always remember her as a role model of courage and survival. We know that her wise guidance will be with us for generations. Survivors: Kathy is survived by her son, Chris; daughter, Angie; and grandchildren Olivia, Ethan, Abigail, and Elek.