Kathryn Virginia Crawford Korby

Published 4:58 pm Thursday, June 8, 2017

Kathryn Virginia Crawford Korby was born to Roy and Elizabeth Crawford on September 29, 1920, in Pawnee City, Nebraska, and died peacefully on May 30, 2017, in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 96. She grew up in Pawnee City, and graduated from Pawnee City High School in 1939.

Kathryn graduated from Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas, with a degree in music. In 1943, she married the late John E. Korby, Jr. (Jack). Jack’s career in the chemical industry took them first to Lawrence, Kansas, then to Hopewell, Virginia, next to Orange, Texas, and later back to Hopewell. Jack and Kathryn had four sons, Steve, Ken, Mel, and Don (deceased). After Jack’s death in 1965, Kathryn remained in Hopewell, where she raised her sons and was active in the First Presbyterian Church. A talented pianist, organist and vocalist, she enjoyed participating in church music programs for many years.

In later life, Kathryn spent several years in Red Bank, New Jersey, with Ken and his wife Anne, and then moved to Dallas to be near her sons Steve and Don. In Dallas, she was a long-time resident of Five Star Premiere Residences, a senior residential community, where she enjoyed her many friends, reading, The New York Times crossword puzzles, and Sudoku.

Survivors include sons Steve (Mary), Ken (Anne) and Mel (Celeste); grandchildren Melissa Korby Fordyce (Doug), Meg Korby Bassett (Blake), Walker Korby (Amber), Justin Korby (Katie), Josh Korby, Drew Korby (Julie), Katy Korby-Gross (John), and Shaena Korby; and great-grandchildren Abby and Sam Fordyce; Caroline, Ellie, and Brynn Bassett; Ellory and Everett Korby; Maggie Korby; and Sophia Gross; nieces Nancy Rinne, Kris Rinne, and Rita Crawford McGuire, and nephews Bob Rinne, Denny Crawford, and Ron Crawford, as well as numerous other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, her son Don, her sister Eloise Crawford Rinne, brother-in-law David Rinne, brother Don Crawford, and sister-in-law Nellie Crawford.

With characteristic unselfishness, Kathryn donated her body to Southwestern Medical School on her death.

A memorial service will be held in Hopewell, Virginia, at a time yet to be determined.