Katherine Harding Mayer

Katherine Harding Mayer was born in New York City on August 24, 1932 to Catherine and William Harding Moore. She was the middle of three sisters, and grew up in a musical family in Flushing, NY. She attended P.S. 32 and Bayside High School where she excelled academically. The high school paper reported her to be Miss Personality and The Girl Most Likely to Succeed. She also participated in a variety of sports, including volleyball, softball and swimming.

She was known as Kate by most of her friends, and met her sweetheart, Henry (Hank) Mayer through their church and high school. After she graduated from high school and started her studies at Queens College, they became engaged. When plans were interrupted by the Korean War, Hank enlisted in the US Air Force, and while he was attending training in Indianapolis, Kate took a train out to visit him, and they married.

About a year later, they welcomed their first child, Diana Suzanne Mayer into the family. Hank was subsequently stationed at a remote airbase in Greenland while Diana was still a baby. During his year-long deployment, Kate managed to complete several years of college. Upon Hank’s return, he was stationed in Kansas for a year, where they welcomed daughter, Debra Harding Mayer.

After being discharged from the USAF, Hank moved the family to NJ, first to Flemington, then to Lakewood, where they lived happily for over 30 years. In addition to being a full-time mom and substitute teaching, Kate enrolled in Monmouth College where they offered evening classes and completed her college degree. She began her 35-year full-time teaching career upon her graduation. She eventually earned a Master’s of Education degree at Georgian Court College.

During the years in Lakewood, Kate taught kindergarten as well as Sunday School at their church, sang in the choir, worked as a day camp counselor at the local Summer Day camp, and took the girls to ballet lessons and cheered them on in all their school and church activities. For several years, she owned a horse and rode regularly through Monmouth County. She was widowed at age 53 and continued to teach and be a champion for her children, her grandchildren, and then her great-grandchildren. During the last years of her life, Kate lived near daughter Debbie at Epworth Villa in Oklahoma.

Kate is predeceased by her parents, her sisters Jeanne Rivera and Marianne Randall, and her husband Henry Kellogg Mayer. She is survived by her two daughters, Diana Suzanne Barton (Eric), Debra Harding Lord (Wayne), grandchildren Adam Thomas Rosendale, Brian Gregory Mayer Burdick, Emily Katherine Yanez (Patrick), Benjamin Dyson Lord (Ashley), Jared Kellog Lord, and great-grandchildren Charlotte, Zachary and Luke Yanez.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Kate’s memory to support Alzheimer’s research, either through Alz.org or Brightfocus.org.

A memorial service for Kate will be held Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 10:00 AM at First United Methodist Church, 305 E Hurd St, Edmond, OK 73034.