Elmira "Catherina" Lockhart

Ms. Catherina Lockhart was born in 1929 in Hawaii. She vividly remembered the bombing of Pearl Harbor Dec 7th 1941. Their family came to the mainland the year after as her father was concerned another bombing would take place. She gave Hawaiian presentations with personal pictures and slide show of that experience. Including the history of Hawaii, a hula dance and how Hawaiian life was celebrated to many schools throughout Kansas City and Independence in the 1960’s.

Catherina spent her teenage years in Kansas City adapting to a brand new culture. Overcoming huge obstacles she graduated from East High in Kansas City. Completing a local trade school for office detail she ran a comptometer machine that produced paychecks at a rapid rate. This was at Traders National Bank, a downtown Kansas City Bank, for 5 years. In her mid-life she worked at Western Electric.

She sang in the church choir for many years and had a beautiful operatic voice. Her favorite songs were Ave Maria and I Believe now sang by LeAnn Rimes. Catherina had a “green” thumb and loved to plant flowers everywhere. She liked planting the ones that reminded her of Hawaii to make leis and corsages for people. Dancing was her favorite pastime and would “bust a move” to show her expertise of 1920’s through 1960’s genre. Not to mention learning “new” moves from others. Music was always a passion of hers and was listening to Don Ho and tapping her toe in her last hours.

Catherina’s final 25 years of employment was at 350 Raytown Walmart as a door greeter. She always dressed for the holidays and especially known as Mrs. Santa Clause. She retired at 80 years old.

Catherina was preceded in death by her parents, and Sister Ruth.

Catherina is survived by: sister, Jeanette Christ, Beaumont Texas; daughter and son in Law, Rick and Kathy Ford; son, Eric Ehrhardt; grandson and wife, Tommy and Kristin Herron; three great grandchildren, Anna 23, Tommy John Jr. 18, Tyler Jacob 15 and her sweet cat Princess.