Katherine Vanzant's Obituary
Katherine Vinzant, age 85, of Centerville, Iowa, died Tuesday, November 16, 2004, at Golden Age Care Center in Centerville, Iowa. Katherine was born the daughter of Katherine (Campbell) Vinzant and Harlan E. Vinzant on November 17, 1918 at Centerville, Iowa. She graduated from Centerville High School in 1936, and after working for A.P. Spears, attended and graduated from Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri.During the World War II years, she held positions in St. Louis, Missouri and Des Moines and Davenport, Iowa, returning to Centerville in 1943 to start a long and productive career with CB&Q Railroad. A transfer to Hannibal, Missouri came in 1952, and she retired from there in 1979, completing 37 years of service. Katherine was very active in Hannibal in the community and in her church, Park Methodist, where she was in the choir and served on the Board. The Mark Twain Tourism activities consumed many of her volunteer hours. Being chosen Hannibal Woman of the Year in 1965 was a great honor for Katherine. Business and Professional Women (BPW) was a big part of her life, both locally, statewide, and nationally. She was State of Missouri BPW President in 1971-1973. But many of Katherine's contributions had to do with her constant thinking of others, both family and friends. She was fortunate in being able to do considerable traveling, both in the U.S. and Europe.Katherine was preceded in death by: her parents and a sister, Margaret (Axel) Long of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.Left to cherish her memory is a brother, Bill Vinzant and his wife Bonnie of Mystic, Iowa; a sister, Dorothy Gordon and her husband Orville of Mason City, Iowa; nieces and nephews: Margaret (Duffy) Kester of Allerton, Iowa; David (Sandy) Vinzant of Mystic, Iowa; Janice (Tom) Reed of Centerville, Iowa; Mary (Lloyd) Davis of Moulton; John (Stacy) Vinzant of Springfield, Illinois; Kathy (Jim) Bartilotta of Denver, Colorado; Kip (Sherrie) Smith of Helena, Montana; and Doug (Jane) Smith of Barrington, Illinois.Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 19, 2004 at 1:30 P.M. at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, Iowa with Rev. Dianne Christopher officiating. Burial will follow at the Oakland Cemetery in Centerville, Iowa. Visitation will be held on Friday, November, 19, 2004 at 12:00 P.M. before the service at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, Iowa with the family present.A memorial has been established to the First United Methodist Church in Centerville, Iowa or Park Methodist Church, Hannibal, Missouri and may be left at or mailed to the To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Katherine Vanzant please visit our Sympathy Store.
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