Ralph William Katterhenry, born July 19, 1927 and passed away April 13, 2024. The last time we saw him over Spring Break he said he had lived a good life, and yes indeed he had. He always said he never expected to out live Louella, but he did by 15 years, and so many of those up until the last really year and half he was so active. He visited us many times over the years, attended the kids games, loved doing puzzles, napping in the living room, sometimes mid-conversation, and sharing meals with the family. I loved this picture above, Brian turing 32 and he was turing 82, he was so happy his name was on the cake ha! He was a special man, he loved his wife, he loved his kids, he loved his family, he was so close to his brother. He worked hard, was a veteran, graduated from Purdue with an Electrical Engineering degree and was a long-timer at his company until he retired and he and Louella traveled literally the world. He was a lifer in the church choir, well past the time when he had lost most of his hearing, he was an avid walker and was even in the paper for being one of the longest members of the water aerobics class at the Y. He LOVED to travel, always planning the next trip, didn't matter how, planes, trains or automobiles. He loved his church, he liked dessert, he liked watching Blue Bloods, and he LOVED the St. Louis Cardinals. He was always so fun to talk to, he kept his wits about him, and he was really so funny. We told him over Spring Break we had a picture of him hanging on the refrigerator, and he said that's a good way to ruin a refrigerator. He was wrong about that, it made our refrigerator better. He was a true gem, and he will be deeply missed, but it was his time and he was ready. Ready to go home and see Louella again.
I wrote the below on January 11, 2009 after getting back from Brian's grandmother's funeral, felt it was fitting to post again here, I'm glad they are together again.
Brian's grandmother, Louella Katherine Katterhenry, passed away last Sunday, January 4th. We went up to St. Louis for the funeral, and my mom was able to come down to watch the kids (with Jason's help). It was a sad time, but also a celebration of a life well lived. She was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in August 2002, and was given 6 - 12 months to live. Her Dr. said he had never had or heard of a patient living as long as she did (6 1/2 years) with the same prognosis. She accomplished so much in that time, and lived a fairly active life. They visited us in Louisiana and also in Houston a couple of times. She was able to see Jacob on several occasions, and she met Gwyn last summer when Brian flew up with her (by himself and a bag of frozen breastmilk) to St. Louis, so his grandma could meet Gwyn in person.
I was kind of amazed at how much she accomplished in those years. She stiched by hand (a sewing machine was used only for the borders) quilts for every grandchild, she knitted several baby hats for premmature babies at the hospital, and knitted I think 88 stockings (we have 4 of them). I also learned she was in charge of counting the offerings from her church on Mondays (and was a member of her church for 54 years), and gave of herself constantly to those in need in her church in the form of meals or whatever was needed.
I had always really considered myself so different from her since we grew up in different times, but we just finished the Love and Respect study in our Sunday school class by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Check it out if you get a chance (www.loveandrespect.com). The basis is biblical principle that a man should unconditionally love his wife and a woman should unconditionally respect her husband. It just got me thinking how much Brian's grandpa so visibly unconditionally loved his grandma, and how much she respected him. She embraced her role as a wife and mother, something I strive to do as well.
A few pics from over the years:
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