Katherine Longenecker

Katherine Butler Longenecker, age 95, of Trussville, Alabama, passed away October 4, 2011. She was born on December 25, 1915 in Gadsden, Alabama to Robert Asberry Griffin and Ada Roper Griffin. Katherine was preceded in death by her parents, her three sisters, Vivian Walker, Evelyn Jones, and Geraldine Benefield, her brother, Robert Griffin, her husband of 59 years, Lewis Clark Butler, her husband of 4 years, Herbert Longenecker, and her daughter, Mary George Butler. Katherine graduated from Jacksonville State University with a degree in education, and earned her Master's degree from the University of Alabama. She was a member and past President of Delta Kappa Gamma, Gamma Lambda Chapter. Katherine and Lewis raised their family in Trussville after moving there in 1951. She taught six years in Gadsden and twenty-nine years in the Birmingham School System. She loved teaching and her former students, and continued to keep in touch with them through correspondence and reunions during her retirement years. Katherine was a member of the First United Methodist Church for 60 years where she served on the Finance Committee, Trustees Committee, and as Chairman of the Pastor Parish Committee for three years. She was a member of the Character Builder's Sunday School Class and the UMW where she served as Vice President for one year. She was an avid reader and supporter of the Trussville Public Library where she served as Chairman of the Board for four years. Katherine is survived by her daughter, Rebecca "Becky" Anderson, her two grandchildren, Christopher "Chris" Anderson, and Katherine "Kip" Harbison, her two great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn Anderson and Christian Anderson, her two nephews, Robert Jones (Barbara) of Memphis, Tennessee, and Joe Ed Jones of Shreveport, Louisiana. Special thanks and gratitude are extended by the family to all of those who helped make Katherine's final years a pleasant and memorable experience, including her in-home health care providers, Betty Owens and Angel Duke Brown. Visitation will be held at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home in Trussville at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday, October 9, 2011, with Chapel Services to follow at 2:00 P.M. Burial will be in Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Jefferson Memorial Trussville directing.