Catherine Mae "Kitty" Schildgen, 95, of Parsons, entered the Lord's presence at 4:15 a.m., Sunday, July 26, 2009, at Elm Haven East Nursing Home in Parsons.
Kitty was born May 14, 1914, to Thomas and Minnie (Ames) Owens as a third generation Parsonian. She graduated from Parsons High School in 1932 and attended one year at Parsons Jr. College.
She married James V. "Jim" Schildgen September 19, 1944, in Oswego, Kansas. He preceded her in death on January 9, 1998.
Kitty had been employed at S.H. Kress & Co. (1933-40), Parsons Sun advertising (1940-41), M.K.T. Railroad operating department (1942-57), and Parsons State Hospital & Training Center business office (1958-65). In 1964, she and her husband opened Schildgen Photography and had the privilege of photographing many class pictures, weddings, reunions and other important events in the lives of families of Southeast Kansas.
Parsons was always home to Kitty. She and Jim toured fulltime throughout the United States and Canada in their Airstream travel trailer after retirement in 1976. After their travels, they lived in Key Largo, Big Pine Key and Marathon, Florida, eventually moving to the Lakeview and Bull Shoals, Arkansas area. In 2001 and 2002, she won multiple medals in the Area Agency on Aging Northwest Arkansas Senior Games. At the Bull Shoals Presbyterian Church, she continued to help with the three-year olds V.B.S. well into her 80's. She was a regular volunteer at the Flippin, Arkansas Senior Center. In 2003, she returned to Parsons and resumed her participation in the First Christian Church. As a cancer survivor, she was invited to lead the "I Care Walk" three times. Kitty will be remembered for her active volunteer work until the fall of 2008. She served as a Pink Lady at Labette Health, a file clerk for the Community Health Clinic, and site hostess at the Senior Center and Parsons Museum. Prior to their retirement, Kitty and Jim were instrumental in starting the Alcoholic Anonymous program for Teens.
Survivors Include:
One Brother – Bennie G. Owens Annapolis, MD
Three Nieces – Mary Catherine Brown & husband, Charles Parsons, KS
Margaret Jo "Peggy" DaHarb & husband, Lou Longmont, CO
Gail Mann & husband David Annapolis, MD
Four Nephews – Tom Owens & wife, Sherron Dearborn, MI
Jim Owens & wife, April Shawnee, KS
Fred Owens & wife, Rhonda Jenks, OK
Mark Owens & wife, Anita Annapolis, MD
Kitty also had 15 great nieces and nephews and 17 great-great nieces and nephews, all who tried to measure up to her 4'10 ½" stature!
Preceding her in death were two brothers, Billie (1923), and Edward A. (1993) and his wife Mary Newell Owens (2004); a sister, Marguerite "Mandy" (1998) and her husband L.P. "Buzz" Franse (1998); a sister-in-law, Ruth Dolan Owens (2009), and a niece, Nancy Owens Threet (2001).
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 Thursday, August 20, 2009 at Memorial Lawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Community Health Clinic or the First Christian Church. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Catherine Mae "Kitty" Schildgen, please visit our flower store.
Kitty was born May 14, 1914, to Thomas and Minnie (Ames) Owens as a third generation Parsonian. She graduated from Parsons High School in 1932 and attended one year at Parsons Jr. College.
She married James V. "Jim" Schildgen September 19, 1944, in Oswego, Kansas. He preceded her in death on January 9, 1998.
Kitty had been employed at S.H. Kress & Co. (1933-40), Parsons Sun advertising (1940-41), M.K.T. Railroad operating department (1942-57), and Parsons State Hospital & Training Center business office (1958-65). In 1964, she and her husband opened Schildgen Photography and had the privilege of photographing many class pictures, weddings, reunions and other important events in the lives of families of Southeast Kansas.
Parsons was always home to Kitty. She and Jim toured fulltime throughout the United States and Canada in their Airstream travel trailer after retirement in 1976. After their travels, they lived in Key Largo, Big Pine Key and Marathon, Florida, eventually moving to the Lakeview and Bull Shoals, Arkansas area. In 2001 and 2002, she won multiple medals in the Area Agency on Aging Northwest Arkansas Senior Games. At the Bull Shoals Presbyterian Church, she continued to help with the three-year olds V.B.S. well into her 80's. She was a regular volunteer at the Flippin, Arkansas Senior Center. In 2003, she returned to Parsons and resumed her participation in the First Christian Church. As a cancer survivor, she was invited to lead the "I Care Walk" three times. Kitty will be remembered for her active volunteer work until the fall of 2008. She served as a Pink Lady at Labette Health, a file clerk for the Community Health Clinic, and site hostess at the Senior Center and Parsons Museum. Prior to their retirement, Kitty and Jim were instrumental in starting the Alcoholic Anonymous program for Teens.
Survivors Include:
One Brother – Bennie G. Owens Annapolis, MD
Three Nieces – Mary Catherine Brown & husband, Charles Parsons, KS
Margaret Jo "Peggy" DaHarb & husband, Lou Longmont, CO
Gail Mann & husband David Annapolis, MD
Four Nephews – Tom Owens & wife, Sherron Dearborn, MI
Jim Owens & wife, April Shawnee, KS
Fred Owens & wife, Rhonda Jenks, OK
Mark Owens & wife, Anita Annapolis, MD
Kitty also had 15 great nieces and nephews and 17 great-great nieces and nephews, all who tried to measure up to her 4'10 ½" stature!
Preceding her in death were two brothers, Billie (1923), and Edward A. (1993) and his wife Mary Newell Owens (2004); a sister, Marguerite "Mandy" (1998) and her husband L.P. "Buzz" Franse (1998); a sister-in-law, Ruth Dolan Owens (2009), and a niece, Nancy Owens Threet (2001).
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 Thursday, August 20, 2009 at Memorial Lawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Community Health Clinic or the First Christian Church. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Catherine Mae "Kitty" Schildgen, please visit our flower store.
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