Kathryn Sue "Kathy" Shankle's Obituary
Kathryn Sue “Kathy” Shankle, 67, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, passed away on Friday, December 23, 2016 surrounded by family. She was born on October 11, 1949, the daughter of Johnie and Edith (Craig) Davidson.She is survived by her husband, Ken, two children, Kimberley Marlow, and her husband, Jon, of Broken Arrow, Keith Alan Shankle, and his wife, Nancy, Skiatook, sister, Ruth Spears, and her husband, Kenneth, brother, Mel Davidson, and his wife, Marie, all of Tahlequah, and other extended family members and friends.She was preceded in death by her parents, grandson, Nicholas Marlow, and brother, Johnnie Lee Davidson. For the first six years of her life, Kathy and her family moved between Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, and Arizona.Kathy’s family moved to Glendale, Arizona when she was about three years old. She went to work every day with her Mom and played with the employer’s daughter, Rena. The girls believed in Santa Claus. Kathy knew she was getting a Davey Crockett bike for Christmas like Rena; after all, she had been better behaved than Rena!Kathy was the youngest of four and loved by her family but expensive gifts weren’t possible. Her siblings illustrated their love for Kathy when they asked their mom to purchase the bike and give them less that year.That Christmas morning, each of her siblings received a small gift but Kathy received her bike and the matching outfit. She was thrilled and rode that bike and wore the costume and boots every chance she had. Some of her fondest childhood memories and pictures are of that bike and wearing that outfit.Her family moved back to Tahlequah and settled when Kathy was about six and she lived the remainder of her life in northeastern Oklahoma.Kathy cherished and enjoyed her animals and toys. Her family had a duck named Charlie, a pig named Jerry, many dogs and cats. She played with all of them. Her cats were even given baths, dressed up in her doll clothes, and fed baby bottles of fresh cream. She loved her dolls and styling their hair.She went to Lane School near Tahlequah and then on to Tahlequah High School. She was a good student and graduated in 1967. She received the Art and Math awardsat high school but that wasn’t the highlight of her teenage years.Kathy said when she first saw the picture of the man she would later marry, he looked like a movie star. She couldn’t wait to meet Kenneth, the brother of her best friend’s sweetheart! Ken was shy, so that meeting was delayed a few times. Ken and Kathy finally met at a traffic accident on New Year’s Eve, 1965.Kathy helped her sister run the family’s fruit stand in front of their home. She often made trips to obtain fruit and vegetables with her dad. Perhaps this entrepreneurial spirit was what sparked the idea of a fireworks stand to raise funds for her beloved’s wedding band before they were married.On June 30, 1967, she married Ken, the love of her life, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Their romance has been described as watching a real life fairy tale. Their bond was so strong and obvious that it felt like it manifested its own physical presence.Ken and Kathy welcomed their first child, Kimberley in 1968. Sixteen months later, Keith joined the family. Kathywas a busy mom with two young children and a husband who commuted an hour to work every day. She began college in pursuit of her dream of becoming a Librarian. However, time spent making a home for her husband and her children, made attending college difficult. She believed her priority was to her family, so she gave up that pursuit. She had a few jobs caring for children and even manageda tomb stone store for a short time, but her focus was being a good wife and mother. Whether it was reading Bible stories, helping with homework, making costumes, or those last minute late night projects or baking treats for the classroom, Kathy did her utmost best for her children.For many years, Kathy was active serving her church as a deaconess, church clerk and Sabbath School teacher.In June 1997, Kathy became Grammy to Kim and Jon’s son, Nicholas. She loved him dearly and treasured each moment spent with him. She was his baby sitter while Kim worked. They built railroads together, finger painted, built sand castles, read, prayed, and sang together.Kathy loved to travel. She and Ken were fortunate to be able to travel from coast to coast, including Niagara Falls, Yosemite, San Francisco, Alaska and beyond our country’s borders to Canada, Mexico, and a few Caribbean islands. They visited family and childhood friends.A favorite vacation destination was Mt. Rushmore. She loved watching Ken and Nicholas marching up and down the Avenue of Flags. She believed that Nicholas’ love of our country’s flag and trains stemmed from that trip. Another favorite vacation was the round hotel on the beach in St. Petersburg, Florida playing with Nicholas building sand castles. One other favorite was Ormond Beach with her children, grandson and sister’s family.Kathy enjoyed seeing God’s creation and her family time with those along on each trip.Kathy spent time in Bible study and prayer each day. She taught her children and grandson to always seek His guidance in their life and to be a blessing to others.An example of putting others first occurred following a car accident in Tahlequah. Kathy was injured and waiting in ER with bruises and pains from head to toe and a severely lacerated left thumb. When the staff came in to help her, she insisted they help her son and the people in the other vehicle first. Hours later when the surgeon had been called in to stitch up her thumb, it was discovered that it was severed and clinically dead. The surgeon sent her to Tulsa for a plastic surgeon to remove her thumb. After a few discussions with doctors, Kathy’s left thumb was reattached via hours of microscopic surgery. When Kim thanked the hand surgeon later that evening for saving Kathy’s thumb, he told her it wasn’t his doing that it was up to God if she kept her thumb. Kathy’s thumb healed and she continued writing, sewing and cooking with it. She often shared that story with others of God’s miraculous healing.Kathy loved scrapbooking and did beautiful work. She made several cards, layouts and shadow boxes for her loved ones over the years.Kathy loved Christmas; the celebration of Jesus’ birth and the decorations. She loved giving presents to others. Her last Christmas season even though she was very ill, she contributed to the toy drive in memory of her grandson. She shared in his vision that all children should have a toy.Through joyful times, adversity, and trials of losing their parents and their only grandson, Ken and Kathy’s love and support remained true to one another. Kathy stood by Ken’s side after his accident in 2001 and cared for his foot many years thereafter. Ken steadfastly nursed Kathyduring her fourteen month struggle with complications from back surgery. The electricity and chemistry of their love for one another ever present to the medical staff in the many visits to ER and the hospital over the past year. They exemplified the marriage vows and held true to them for 49 and a half years until Kathy’s final breath.Kathy has been described in recent days as someone so pure of heart that it shined through her like a lighthouse. She had a father, His name is God, she knew Him, and her heart was in the right place. She is resting in peace until that final trumpet call. Kathy wants everyone to know that God is ever present and waiting for each of us to trust in Him and surrender ourselves unto Him so that we might have ever lasting life. She longs to see each one of us again in that eternal garden of splendor known as Heaven.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Kathy’s name to the Adventist Fellowship Church, 15303 E. 21st, Tulsa, OK 74134.
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