Buxton, Katherine (Katie) Bryant

Katherine (Katie) Bryant Buxton - age: 97
(April 15, 1917 to October 05, 2014 )
Resident of Ukiah, California

Obituary:
Katherine (Katie) Bryant Buxton of Ukiah passed away October 5, 2014 at Holy Child Care Home in Ukiah at the age of 97. Katie was born in Eureka on April 15, 1917, the third of four children of Frank Bryant and Hattie May Hull Bryant ¬ pioneer residents of Humboldt County. The other children were Lawrence, Vilena and Joseph. The Bryant family settled in the Eel River Valley in 1886. Frank Bryant homesteaded land in the 1890s in tiny Yager (near Bridgeville) consisting of one other family. Katie attended school taught by her mother in a one ¬ room schoolhouse in Yager. Her mother also was postmistress, librarian, and ran the stage stop all from the family's home. Yager was to play a significant role in the development of Katie's independent nature, fortitude and stamina. She was later known by her friends as "the girl from Yager". In 1920 Katie and her family traveled by horse and wagon to see their first motion picture a silent movie version of Tarzan shown in a barn in Bridgeville. They returned home by the light of a full moon, snuggling under blankets in the back of the wagon. In 1930 the Bryant family moved to Fortuna, where Katie graduated from high school in 1935. There she met her future husband, Ralph Irwin "Buck" Buxton. Katie, never one to let an opportunity pass and encouraged by her best friend, attracted his attention by persistently roller ¬ skating past the service station where he was pumping gas. Ralph was studying at UC Berkeley, and after graduating from high school, Katie enrolled at San Jose State (not too far from Berkeley). After finishing her freshman year, they eloped and married in Santa Cruz on June 19, 1936, soon ending her formal education. After leaving UC Berkeley, Ralph joined Mobil Oil Company, working in Stockton, Sacramento and Fresno, and returned home to Humboldt County in 1943, where they remained until moving to Ukiah in 1948. By that time they had four children: Richard (born in 1938), Patricia (1940), Colleen (1944) and Helen "Snook" (1947). For many years Katie was kept more than busy raising four children. Only later could she pursue her interest in painting, winning prizes at local fairs. Her friends coveted her pictures, which today adorn the walls of many of their homes. Katie loved singing and was an avid member of the choir of St. Mary's Church in Ukiah. She felt a social responsibility to help those who could not help themselves. Taking pride in her own appearance, she volunteered as a "Grey Lady" at the County Hospital, styling the hair of elderly women weekly for over 20 years. Katie and Buck ran a welcoming home. There was seldom a day that they didn't have company for cocktails or a meal. She was very devoted to her grandchildren and great grandchildren, who came to occupy a focal point of her life in later years. Her husband Ralph and her daughter, Patricia, preceded her in death. She is survived by her other children: Richard Buxton of Dusseldorf, Germany, Colleen Henderson (Richard) of Ukiah, and Helen "Snook" Ripple (Patrick) of Santa Rosa, as well as grandchildren: Kelly Smith Collins of Bend, Oregon, Davis Smith (Lisa) of Bend, Katherine Henderson McMullen (John) of Santa Rosa, Richard "Richie" Henderson of Ukiah, Mary Kate Ripple of Santa Rosa, Kristen Ripple of San Francisco, and great grandchildren: Ellie, Charlotte and Jameson McMullen, and Cass and Phoebe Smith. The family would like to thank Jay and Elizabeth Santos and their staff at Holy Child for the kindness and dignity they provided Katie at the end of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Katie's memory may be made to St. Mary's School Foundation, 415 West Perkins Street, Ukiah. A celebration of Katie's life will be held on October 16, 2014 at St. Mary's Church in Ukiah at 11:00 a.m.