Katherine B Wheatley

Katherine Booth Wheatley, age 87, of Northport, went to her heavenly home on October 9, 2023. Her family will receive friends at Sunset Memorial Chapel on Friday, October 13, noon-1:00 p.m., followed immediately by services, led by Rev. Greg Strickland, and burial at Sunset Memorial Park.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Glendon Wheatley; her parents, Roy and Berta Mae Hodo Booth; stepmother, Mary I. Booth; brothers Jerome Booth and Arlis Booth; sister Sue Quinn; and daughter-in-law, Debra Wheatley.

She is survived by her daughters, Karen Camp (Joe) and Kathy Pierson (Donnie), and son, Terry Wheatley (Debbie); brother, Eugene Booth (Teresa) sister, Linda Crocker (Russell), sister-in-law, Cathy Booth Farmer; five grandchildren Kimberly Camp Smalley, Jeremy Camp (Brooke), Kerri Wheatley (Ben), Amanda Pierson, and Kyle Wheatley; as well as five great-grandchildren, Dawson Camp, Dylan Camp, Michael Lowery, Drew Camp, and Mason Smalley; very special nephew, Rodney Booth (Sue) in addition to many special nephews and nieces.

Katherine, who was also known as Kakin and Mamaw, was born in Buhl, Alabama, on February 27, 1936. She was always so excited to share this special day with her father Roy Booth and her grandson, Jeremy Camp. She married Glendon Wheatley in 1954 and raised her three children on a waitress’ salary, seeing to it that there was always food on the table, even if many meals were just butter beans and crackers.

In her early years, she worked as a waitress at the Town House and Garner’s Steakhouse and a seamstress at the Debra Knit factory. Later, she was employed at DCH Hospital and Tuscaloosa City Schools, where she worked at Skyland Elementary, retiring in 1994. She was an extremely hard worker all her life and continued cutting her own grass, climbing ladders, and cleaning her own gutters well into her 80s.

Katherine was a devoted member of Northport Church of God and loved to listen to her gospel music while singing along as she clapped her hands. Her grandchildren were her world, and she spent many weekends and summers driving “the Sunday” dirt roads, teaching them to use the pogo stick and riding bicycles “around the circle and down the path.” Our best memories include her holiday cakes, homemade macaroni and cheese, homemade chicken and dumplings, family Easter egg hunts, and Sundays spent sharing her peppermints and gum in church followed by shopping trips to Kmart and TG&Y. Aunt Kakin always had her “go pants” on ready to take road trips at a moment’s notice. No matter what the activity was, our times together were always full of laughter.

She meant the world to our family, and the hole she left behind will forever be felt in our hearts and lives. To know her was to love her, and if you met her, you would never forget her. Even when dementia started taking away her memories, she was still the hit of the party. She was silly, fun, spunky, hilarious, and always had a smile on her face.

Her family would like to express our appreciation to Sue Booth for spending so much of her time lovingly caring for Aunt Kakin during her stay at the hospital. Her family would also like to thank Teresa Booth for bringing Kakin special sweet treats and pretty flowers that always brightened her day, and to Linda Crocker for her care, support, and guidance through all the difficult times.

Lastly, her family would like to express our gratitude to Kathy and Donnie Pierson for their sacrifice and devotion as Katherine’s caregivers for the last six years. We can never truly express how blessed we were to have you take care of her with such love and commitment.

Pallbearers will be Rodney Booth, Kyle Wheatley, Dawson Camp, Dylan Camp, Drew Camp, and Michael Lowery.

Honorary pallbearers are Hospice of West Alabama, Mason Smalley, Sue Booth, Chuck Plowman, Bernice Hewitt, and members of Northport Church of God.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://alz.org.

Sunset Brown-Service Funeral Home, a Dignity Memorial Provider, is honored to serve the Wheatley family during their time of bereavement. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.SunsetBrown-Funeral.com