Chesterton High School graduate Katherine Ann Martin died of cancer on
Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2005, at the home of her brother in Valparaiso. A
resident of Kent, Wash., she was 42.
She was born Jan. 4, 1963, in Valparaiso to John A. and Mary Jane (Irish)
Martin, who preceded her in death.
She is survived by four brothers, Gregory J. (wife Chris) Martin, Steven J.
(wife Beth) Martin, and William M. (wife Terry) Martin, all of Chesterton,
and Thomas E. (wife Lynne) Martin of Valparaiso; two sisters, Evelyn E.
Komenas and Patricia M. (husband Thomas) Shumate, both of Chesterton;
nephews John Komenas of Chesterton, Thomas (wife Jacqui) Shumate of Peru,
South America, and Adam, Aaron, and Andrew Martin, all of Chesterton; nieces
Jennifer Martin (Matthew William) of Bloomington, Susan Martin of Chicago,
Samantha Martin of Chesterton, and Elizabeth Jordan of Chesterton; and
friends Karen Critchley of Raleigh, N.C., and Linda Harris of Jerome Idaho.
A 1981 graduate of CHS, she traveled to Germany and France, then attended
Purdue University. After contracting cancer at 19 that left her a
paraplegic, she moved to Kent, Wash., 22 years ago and attended Renton Voc
Tech. She was employed by Boeing in Renton, Wash., for 20 years, working as
a draftsperson in Payload and Structural, and then transferred to Testing
and Process Construction.
She was a member of the Ski for All Club in Washington, downhill skiing,
water-skiing, and kayaking. She was also a member of the Ups and Downs
bowling league, which included handicapped and nonhandicapped persons.
Kathy loved languages and knew sign, Braille, French, German, and Russian.
She participated in the 1989 Washington Centennial Games in Spokane, racing
in several wheelchair events. She was a reader and a crafter and an
inspiration to all.
Funeral services, the Father Lawrence Heeg officiating, are scheduled for 10
a.m. Monday at White-Love Funeral Home, 525 S. Second St. in Chesterton. She
will be interred at Chesterton Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday and from 9 to 10
a.m. on Monday at White-Love. A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday
at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to The Visiting Nurse Association Hospice Program of
Porter County.
Posted 11/25/2005
