Katheleen Hufferd, 88, Chanute, passed away Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 at her home surrounded by her daughters.
Katheleen was born July 15, 1928, in rural Westphalia, to George and Katie (Latimer) Watson as the sixth of seven children. She was raised in Iola, and attended school there. She married her high school sweetheart, Virgil E. Hufferd, and raised five daughters and one son with him in Iola and Elsmore. She worked as a cook at the Allen County country club, and owned her own restaurant in Elsmore for a few years. She also worked at the ammunition plant in Parsons, and served for many years working in local nursing homes. For the last 40 years of her life she operated her own quilting business, through which she made many friends.
Survivors include her daughters, Ramona Rohr and husband Neal, Colony, Susie Gillham and husband Johnny, Humboldt, Sandy Coday and husband Calvin, Jr., Elsmore, Shelia McAdam and husband John D., Moran, and Kathy Brakel and husband Tom, Iola; 15 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Wilma Fields of Arkansas; numerous nieces and nephews, and her pet and constant companion, Zoey.
Katheleen was preceded in death by her husband, an infant daughter Rebecca, a son Phillip, an infant great-great-granddaughter, her parents, brothers Earl and Bobby Watson and sisters Fern Thompson, Mary Laugensen and Georgia Gumfory.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 16 N. Buckeye St., in Iola. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Highland Cemetery in Iola. Memorial contributions in memory of Katheleen may be made to the American Heart Association and left with the funeral home.
Katheleen Hufferd
