Obituary of Katie Whitaker

Katie Whitaker, 99 formerly of 320 E. Washington Street, Iowa City died Friday, February 23, 2007, at the Windmill Manor Care Center in Coralville. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, February 26, 2007, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City with the Dr. John McKinstry officiating. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be prior to the services at the funeral home on Monday. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in her memory to Iowa City Hospice or the First Christian Church in Coralville. Katie was born August 1, 1907, in rural Johnson County, Iowa the daughter of William A.P. and Laura (Wattenbarger) Barnes. She attended rural Johnson County Schools and had taken classes through the Irish Business College of Iowa City. On October 30, 1924, she married Herman E. Whitaker in Iowa City. For over twenty-five years she worked for the Kresge Company Store No. 559 in Iowa City retiring as bookkeeper and office manager in 1974. She was a longtime member of the First Christian Church, Past Noble Grand of Carnation Rebekah Lodge #376, L.A.P.M., Eagles Auxiliary #1767, and several card clubs. Her family includes two sons, Richard E. “Gene” Whitaker of Moline, IL, and Herman E. Whitaker Jr. of Hagerstown MD and Winter Haven, FL; eight grandchildren, Cathy Davis (William) of Tipton, IA, Kenneth Whitaker of Iowa City, Carol Beinbrech of Phoenix, AZ, Steven Whitaker of Eldridge, IA, Janel Belk (Kenny) of Bettendorf, IA, Deborah Ippolito of Jacksonville, FL, Gary Whitaker of White Hall, PA, and Kathryn Whitaker of Hagerstown, MD; 11 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-granddaughter; 1 step-grandchild, 2 step-great-grandchildren; two nephews and their wives, Bill and Pauline Barnes and Lawrence “Bud” and Barbara Barnes all of Iowa City; three nieces, Mary Ellen Fischer and her husband, Richard of Iowa City, Nobie Spice and her husband, Don of Eden Hill, Australia, and Darlene Schnoebelen of Bettendorf, IA. Katie was preceded in death by her husband, (January 1, 1977), daughter, Laura Lucille Williams and her husband, Clyde Williams; four sisters, Ora Mae, Lula Pearl, Maude Beatty, and Roberta Cooney; two brothers, John Barnes and Arthur Clarence Barnes. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Katie’s family.