Katherine Elizabeth Shad

Katherine Elizabeth “Betty” Shad, 91, passed away Nov. 13, 2010 after a lengthy illness. A Jacksonville native, she graduated from Robert E. Lee and attended Florida State College for Women. She married Ernest F. Shad in 1941 and was a homemaker raising her children until he died at a very young age in 1960. She went to work as a medical secretary to Ophthalmologists, Dr. Walter Gilbert and Dr. Jerry Knauer, Jr.

Betty was a talented writer. She wrote beautiful poetry, short stories, and letters to family and friends. She wrote many notes of encouragement and comfort to others, which in return brought great joy to her life.

Always calm, kind, and optimistic, her favorite poem was “Desiderata” and she lived her life by its words.

She will be greatly missed by her family and all those whose lives she touched.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathy; her son, Steve; her sister-in-law, Olive Hulett; her brother, Pat Hulett (Norma); her grandchildren, deLiesseline Cuthbert, Sarah Chaplin Johnson (Landis), and Stephen Shad, Jr. (Samantha); 5 great grandchildren; 9 nieces and 2 nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, Nov. 16 at South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church, 2137 Hendricks Ave. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to her beloved church, South Jacksonville Presbyterian, where she was a member for 67 years.

Arrangements are by Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 4115 Hendricks Avenue.