Kathleen Whitaker

Feb. 27, 1910-July 11, 2004

Kathleen Whitaker, 94, of North Platte, died Sunday, July 11, 2004, in Linden Court.

She was born Feb. 27, 1910, in Fairmont to William and Katherine Hofferber Kennedy. The family lived in Cozad and Lexington. Kathleen graduated from Lexington High School with the class of 1927. She attended Kearney State Teachers College and taught for five years in Dawson County rural schools.

In 1934, she married James E. Whitaker. They lived in Paxton from 1934 to 1936, where she assisted her husband at the Proffit Funeral Home. They lived in Lexington from 1936-1941 when they moved to North Platte. He preceded her in death Feb. 17, 1975.

Kathleen was a long time member of the First Presbyterian Church and a member of women's circle there. She was a 58-year member of Chapter AK PEO and a past president of that organization.

She was a canteen worker at the North Platte Canteen during World War II. She was a past member of the DOES of North Platte. She enjoyed playing bridge and belonged to several bridge clubs. She worked at Whitaker Furniture for 30 years. In her later years, she and her sister enjoyed traveling together.

Survivors include two sons, William E. Whitaker of McCook and James D. (Nancy) Whitaker of North Platte; a nephew, Gary L. (Joan) Kennedy of Seattle, Wash.; four grandsons, Mark Whitaker and Jeff (Mary) Whitaker of McCook, Kevin (Cindy) Whitaker of Phoenix, Ariz., and David J. Whitaker of Omaha; one granddaughter, Kim Nichols of North Platte; three great-grandsons; one great-granddaughter; two great-great-nephews; and one great-great-niece.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; her parents; her brother, Francis; her sister, Ellen Christensen; and her great-granddaughter, Lindsay Whitaker.

Services will be 10 a.m., Friday, July 16, 2004, at the First United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Amy Jo Hawley officiating. Burial will be in the North Platte Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, the North Platte Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and to the First United Presbyterian Church. Visitation is Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m., at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home,