Kathryn was born on December 30th—Hog Killing Day—into a strong, hardworking Wendish family. For much of her life, she believed she was German until Texas relatives traced their true heritage back to Prussian immigrants. Raised on an isolated Texas farm, Kathryn and her beloved older brother, Russell, explored the wilderness, creating a childhood filled with adventure, curiosity, and an unbreakable sibling bond.

Her father, a WWII POW, survived the Bataan Death March and years in Japanese prison camps, while her mother, a trailblazing nurse, provided for the family through hard times. Inspired by her mother’s resilience, Kathryn pursued nursing, earning her BSRN from the University of Texas. She later became a nurse anesthetist, balancing a demanding medical career with marriage and motherhood.

​

Life’s trials tested her strength—losing her brother to COVID, enduring 17 failed back surgeries in Chattanooga, and facing a rare lung disease that doctors claimed would end her life by 2000. Instead, she survived against the odds, working tirelessly and raising her children to follow their dreams. When her husband tragically passed away in a car accident, she leaned on faith, resilience, and her father’s wisdom: “Never say it can’t get worse, but never give up.”