Kathryn Louise Westerman

Kathryn (Kay) Louise Westerman was born in Atkinson, NE Dec. 6, 1925 to Archie and Lucile J. Millington. On June 14, 1947, she was united in marriage to Lyle F. Westerman in Pawnee City, NE. To this union, four children were born, Susan, David, Joan, and James.

When Kathryn was a baby, her parents moved to Omaha, NE where they lived until she was in 7th grade. She and her mother moved to Peru, NE so she could finish her education after her father's death in 1934. Kathryn graduated from Trumbull High School and moved back to Omaha to attend the University of Omaha. She worked for the War Dept. and Finance Dept. during and after WWII. After she and Lyle married, they lived briefly in Lincoln, NE then moved to the farm west of Pawnee City, NE. In 1956 they returned to Lincoln.

Kathryn work for LL Coryell in Lincoln and Soil Conservation Service in Pawnee City and Lincoln for 34 years. After retirement, she served as secretary for the SCS Retirees Breakfast Club for several years. She was also secretary for the VFW Women's Auxiliary Post 4626 until its disbandment.

When their youngest child was two years old, Lyle and Kathryn bought a 15' Lincraft trailer and headed off for the Seattle World's Fair. That started their love for traveling and they spent many happy, but crowded weekends and vacations with kids traveling in their Lincraft. After the kids were grown and gone, they purchased a motor home and traveled throughout the U.S. They drove it to Alaska many times to spend time with son, David, and his family, until the motor home decided it was time to be retired. Before and after retirement in 1984, they took trips to various countries in Europe, Russia, Siberia and the Russian Far East, Australia, and New Zealand.

In 1990, Lyle and Kathryn joined Southern Heights Presbyterian Church where Kathryn served as secretary and leader of Ruth Circle as well as Presbyterian Women. She also served as deacon for six years and truly enjoyed serving the church as chair of funerals and receptions. She always felt joining SHPC was a great blessing in her life. She also learned to quilt from the quilters and enjoyed spending Tuesday’s quilting. Kathryn also took classes in stained glass and spent many hours working with stained glass and was especially proud of the stained glass village she made.

Kathryn loved to read and would read as many as 300 books a year until she noticed the cobwebs and dust bunnies were getting ahead of her and she decided to cut back. She loved to play bridge which enabled her to continue friendships with former co-workers and to make news friend with other bridge players. After Lyle's death in Sept. 2018, she decided it was time to move to a retirement home and spent the remainder of her life at Legacy Estates making new friends and enjoying independent community living.

Surviving Kathryn are her children, Susan (Ken) Mayberry of York, NE, David Westerman of Cooper Landing, AK, and his wife Terri Tobias, Joan Kennedy of Cypress, TX, and James Westerman of Rapid City, SD. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, Shelli Mayberry of Evergreen, CO, John (Shana) Mayberry of York, NE, Emma Westerman of Gig Harbor, WA, Stanley Westerman, of Anchorage, AK, Heidi Westerman of Ann Arbor, MI, Mariah Westerman of Las Vegas, NV and Aaron Westerman of Rapid City, SD. Great grandchildren are McKenzie Mayberry, Jaydin Mayberry both of York, NE Cameron Bassett of Gig Harbor, WA and Anika Westerman of Anchorage, AK. Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents, two half-sisters, two nephews and one niece.

A funeral service will be held 2 pm Saturday, May 22, 2021 at Southern Heights Presbyterian Church 5750 South 40th Street, Lincoln, NE. Memorials directed to Multiple Sclerosis Society or Southern Heights Presbyterian Church. Condolences to www.lincolnfh.com.