Katherine Rae Lawrence

Katherine Rae Jones Lawrence

Katherine always said, “Old Indians never die, they just fade away.” Born December 31, 1928, Katherine Lawrence finally faded away on November 5, 2024 at the age of 95.

The daughter of James Jacob Jones and Eva Mae Montgomery Jones, Katherine was born in Watova, Oklahoma, the youngest of 8 siblings. She attended elementary school in Little Kansas, where she was valedictorian of her 8th grade class. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she attended high school at Chilocco Indian School in New Kirk, Oklahoma, a boarding school for Native American students. Katherine excelled in all of her classes and particularly enjoyed science and math; but the school also taught the female students household skills such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. She talked about the “white glove inspections” that were conducted for their cleaning skills and how all the students were there from different tribes and reservations, some not speaking any English. She also learned how to prepare and serve formal teas, a tradition that she enjoyed sharing with her daughters and perhaps the reason she enjoyed collecting tea sets and china teacups and saucers through the years.

Katherine returned from Chilocco to Nowata where she worked at Chub’s Fountain on Main Street, then the Hickory House Café. A quiet, reserved young lady, she met an outgoing young man, Arville Lawrence, who came into the Hickory House Café and fell in love with the attractive young lady working behind the counter. Opposites do attract, and they dated for 2 years before getting married on December 25, 1951 in a small ceremony at the preacher’s house next to the Church of God at the corner of Pine and Seneca.

Katherine was a full-time mother and homemaker who excelled at everything she did. She was known for her cooking skills and always welcomed friends and families for lunches and dinners throughout the week and on weekends. Her stuffed cabbage rolls were a specialty remembered by many and her Hot Rolls, Apple Pie, Angel Food Cake with Seven Minute Frosting, and Fresh Apple Cake are still cherished recipes passed down to her children and grandchildren. In addition to her cooking skills, Katherine was an excellent seamstress. She was known for her perfection in sewing prom dresses, wedding gowns, cheerleading uniforms, costumes, and even formal ware for the Miss Oklahoma Pageant.

Katherine had a deep love for animals, caring for them as members of the family. She was also known for her green thumb - planting trees in her yard that she would dig up and bring home from anywhere she visited. She also had a talent for art and found time to take art lessons. She had a beautiful voice and would sing during the day while working around the house, instilling a love of music and art to her children. Her favorite foods were chili, which she would order any time it was on a menu, or just a good pot of beans and cornbread, and of course, a good cup of coffee shared with friends and family any time of the day. In fact, she attributed her long life to drinking coffee every day. A talented, intelligent, strong, determined, yet gentle woman, Katherine will also be remembered for her favorite sayings: “Go ask Mom and Prove!” “Fiddle-Dee-Dee!” Life Gets Tedious,” and last but not least: “Old Indians Never Die, they just Fade Away.”

Katherine was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, her husband, after 40 years of marriage and 1 grand-daughter. She is survived by her 6 children and their spouses: Deborah Marie Lawrence Reed and Les, Robert Lee Lawrence, Cynthia Colleen Lawrence Davis and Jodie, James Jeffery Lawrence and Connie, William Patrick Lawrence, and Phillip Gregory Lawrence, 9 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Journey Home in Bartlesville or The Bartlesville Animal Rescue Foundation.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM in the Benjamin Funeral Service chapel with Pastor Andrew Haire officiating.Online condolences may be made at www.honoringmemoriesnowata.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are in the care of Benjamin Funeral Service of Nowata.