KATHERINE LANCASTER KOONCE

GEORGETOWN - Katherine L. Koonce died peacefully at her home on Sunday, Feb.10, 2008, from ovarian cancer. She lived in the Sun City community of Georgetown, Texas, and was 73 years of age. Katherine was the youngest of three children, born in Tulsa, Okla., on Dec. 3, 1934, to Emmett and Helen Lancaster. In 1938 the family moved to Detroit, Mich., where Katherine graduated from Redford High School in 1952. Katherine attended Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, where she met her husband of 52 years, Gearl Dee Koonce. She earned a bachelor's degree in Education from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1956. In 1982, she completed a master's degree in Education (Reading) at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. In 1990 Katherine completed training at Ohio State University in Reading Recovery, an early intervention program designed by Marie M. Clay to assist children in first grade who have difficulty learning to read and write. Katherine married Gearl Koonce on June 25, 1955, in Detroit, Mich. In 1956 they moved to Puyallup, Wash., while Gearl was stationed there in the Navy. Following Gearl's release from the Navy, they moved to Stanton, Texas. Six months later, they bought a home in Midland, Texas. They also resided in Iraan, Texas, and Houston, Texas, before moving back to Midland in 1978. They remained in Midland until their move to Sun City in Georgetown, Texas in 1997 to be closer to family. Katherine was a schoolteacher for 32 years; most of that experience was in the primary grades. The last six years of her career were as a Reading Recovery teacher, working one-on-one with first-graders who had difficulty learning to read. These years were some of the most satisfying of Katherine's entire career as a teacher because it delighted her to see a light come on in students as they figured out how to read. She retired from teaching in 1996. Katherine was a priesthood member of the Community of Christ Church. Her deep faith was a strong foundation in her life. She was an avid reader and gifted writer and a member of Sun City Writers and Sun City Friends, a book club. She authored many stories, three of which were published in collections of memoirs of people from her generation. Katherine was a passionate bird watcher and member of the National Audubon Society. She chose the hummingbird as her animal symbol of identity because of its energy and vigilance. She was also a talented china painter and completed many beautiful paintings that she gave to friends and displayed in her home. She loved music and singing and was a member of the Sun City Singers. She also loved to travel and over the course of her life visited Hawaii, England, Europe, Israel, and Alaska. Katherine was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend who will be dearly missed. Katherine was preceded in death by her mother and father. She is survived by her husband, Gearl; her son, Lee Gearl Koonce and wife Annie of Burleson, Texas; her daughter, Barbara Helen Koonce and husband Jody Denberg of Austin, Texas; her son, James Alan Koonce and wife Ann of Nashville, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Andrew James Koonce and Katherine Joella Koonce of Burleson, Texas, and Kyle Alan Koonce and Katherine Diana Koonce of Nashville, Tenn.; and her brothers, James E. Lancaster and wife Beverly of West Bloomfield, Mich., and Richard B. Lancaster and wife Reta of Indianapolis, Ind. Katherine's family deeply appreciates the gentle care provided by the nurses, chaplains, and staff of Hospice Austin and the staff of Visiting Angels and is thankful to friends for their loving support during Katherine's illness. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16, at Gabriels Funeral Chapel, Georgetown, Texas, and at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the Community of Christ Church, Midland, Texas. A graveside service will follow in Midland, Texas at Resthaven Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Outreach International, National Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, or Southern Poverty Law Center. Obituary and guestbook are available online at gabrielsfuneral.com.