Katherine King

Katherine Margaret (Smith) King passed away peacefully on July 28, 2021 in the presence of her family.  She lived 91 years, 8 months and 15 days.  She was born at home on November 13, 1929, in Goodland, Kansas, the eighth of ten children, to Winfield Smith and Sarah Elizabeth Smith.  Katherine's mother died during childbirth when Katherine was 4 ½ years old.  She and her siblings were then essentially farmed out to be raised by other families with her two younger sisters being adopted by other families.  Katherine went to live with her Aunt May and her family in Paxico, Kansas.  When she turned seven years old, her father had re-married and brought some of the children, including Katherine, back home to live.   That arrangement didn't last long so at the age of ten, Katherine was sent to live with Tom and Susie Smith with whom she would live until she got married.

Katherine attended and graduated from Agra High School in 1947.  During her senior year in high school, she met a young, recently discharged Army soldier named Martin L. King.  The two were married on April 28, 1947.  Katherine, being only 17 years old, lied about her age to the Justice of the Peace who performed their marriage ceremony in Smith Center, Kansas.  The Justice of the Peace looked at Katherine and said, "You don't look to be eighteen years old, but I guess you are".

Katherine and Martin lived in Agra for a little over a year working odd jobs to make ends meet.  They welcomed their first-born son, Gary, on June 19, 1948.  Soon after Gary was born, they decided to move to Denver so Martin could go to Refrigeration School.  They lived in a garage belonging to her sister, Ada, while Martin went to school.   During that time, they welcomed their first daughter, Sheril, born on October 1, 1951.  After graduation from Refrigeration School, Martin went to work at McComb's Supply Company and they were able to purchase a new house at 1635 S. Wolff Street.  On June 14, 1955, they welcomed their identical twin daughters, JoAnne and Joleen.

Katherine was never one to sit still.   Her entire life, she was like the Energizer Bunny.  She was a master seamstress, sewing clothes for her children from the time they were babies.  She made dresses for the girls and made matching dresses for their dolls.  Every Halloween, she would make elaborate costumes for the kids, and would again make matching outfits for their dolls.  Later, she would make matching outfits for all of her grandchildren.  She began working outside the home when the older kids were small, working at an insurance company typing policies and later in the office at Gates Rubber Company.   However, after the twins were born, she began staying home to be a full-time mother.   She babysat other children to make extra money.  In 1964, she decided to go to beauty school to become a licensed  cosmetologist.   After graduation, she went to work for Ethel at Ethel's Beauty Salon for a time and eventually became the beautician at Villa Manor Nursing home where she worked for thirty years until her retirement.  While keeping up with her own career, she also assisted Martin when they started their own wholesale refrigeration business, King Supply Company, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  After Martin's retirement, she was a partner in their side business of KSI Collectible Toys and Dolls.    They would travel on weekends to various toy shows where they would buy, sell, and trade their inventory.  Katherine made many porcelain dolls and hand made all of their clothes.  She also made wedding dolls for her grandkids and matched the clothes to the bride and groom.  What a beautiful legacy she left behind.

They bought their last home at 1730-A S. Ammons, Lakewood, Colorado in 1990.   Martin passed away in 1995 after they had been married for 48 ½ years.  It was Katherine's fervent wish to live independently in her own home for the rest of her life.  That wish was fulfilled. Katherine proved to be a strong, independent woman who lived for her children and grandchildren.  She never missed a birthday for any of her children or grandchildren, always sending a card with a handwritten note and a check for ten dollars.

Katherine is survived by her son, Gary (Nancy) King of Yakima, Washington, and daughters, Sheril Wynne of Henderson, Colorado, JoAnne Cassar of Winter Springs, Florida, and Joleen Paden of Littleton, Colorado.  She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by one sister, Beth McCormick of Osborn, Kansas, two brothers-in-law, Gene King (Barb), Don King (Michaelene), and two sisters-in-law, Phyllis Colson and Ellen King and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was pre-deceased by her parents, husband Martin and a granddaughter Jenny Paden.

Visitation will be Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 1pm-7pm, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood.

A Celebration of Katherine's life will be Thursday, September 2, 2021, 10am, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood. Committal will follow at 2pm, Fort Logan National Cemetery, Staging Area A.