Katherine Thompson's Obituary
Katherine Elizabeth Thompson 1/1/1917 – 9/27/2012
Where to begin the obituary of Lorain's "life of the party"? Katie died peacefully on Thursday, September 27th surrounded by her three daughters at Stop 7 in Sheffield Township, her home for more than 64 years. She was preceded in death by husbands Bob (Poopsie) Thompson, Harry (Cooner) Strickler, and William Konnerth, sister Elsie Gray, son Jerry Strickler, and son-in-law Wayne Cassidy.
She was the mother of four children, Elaine (John) Johnson, Karen Cassidy, Jerry Strickler (deceased), and Nancy (Scott) Kranstuber. She was known as Gram T or Grandma Katie to her 7 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. She is also survived by her brother Elmer Schneider (Lorain) and sister Edna Beeman (Connecticut).
Katie grew up during the Depression and thus, was a hard worker all her life. In addition to being a pin setter and bartender at the Saxon Club bowling alley, she worked at the Lorain Crucible and the Stove Works. She also survived the 1924 Lorain tornado and would share stories of that event.
Katie was baptized and confirmed at St. John's United Church of Christ where she was a lifelong member.
Katie loved her Saxon heritage and was a member and past president of the Lorain Saxon Club Branch 11. She was thrilled to return to the Transylvania Saxon homeland a few years ago where she visited her father's boyhood home. Up until the end, she attended and enjoyed Saxon meetings each month, sitting at the club with her friends (or total strangers) and listening to everyone talk and laugh. She was also a life member of Amvets Post 47, VFW 451, and Ladies of the Moose as well as the oldest member of the Amherst Browns Backers. Friends and family would wait anxiously for Katie to open her purse, never knowing what might come out of that bag of tricks. Her favorites included rubber snakes and dog poo, the extend-a-fork, and various kinds of funny false teeth and glasses
Katie loved sunflowers and her cats, parades and Polka music, blue skies and green grass, warm beer (Vitamin P) and July 4th picnics.
Heaven just got a little noisier due to the party thrown for Kate's arrival. So grab a warm beer or other beverage and toast Katie Thompson's celebration of life. Memorial contributions can be made to St. John's UCC (715 Reid Avenue, Lorain, Ohio 44052). Katie would want family and friends to plant a flower, feed the birds, go to a parade, wave to your neighbor, make someone laugh, and look forward to tomorrow while always living for today.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, September 30th from 2 – 6 p.m. at Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst, where Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 1st followed by burial at Ridge Hill Memorial Park.
Friends and family may leave on line condolences at www.dovinreberjones.com
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