Katherine Craver, of Pella passed away Friday evening, March 22, 2019 at the Cottages in Pella on her 97th birthday. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 am Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home in New Sharon. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be held in the Friends Cemetery in New Sharon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Puppy Jake Foundation http://www.puppyjakefoundation.org/ to help military veterans through the assistance of highly trained service dogs. Holland-Coble Funeral Home of New Sharon is in charge of arrangements.

Katherine Craver, the daughter of Chanley and Lucile (Sheesley) Fleming, was born the eldest of seven children on March 22, 1922 on the family farm near Taintor. She attended Granville Country School near Taintor before graduating from Oskaloosa High School in 1939. During high school, Katherine took the normal training course and state exam allowing her to receive her teaching certificate March of 1940. She taught a few years at country schools in the area.

On September 15, 1945, Katherine was united in marriage to Leland Craver in Oskaloosa. To this union four children were born, Vivian, Carolyn, Dennis and Kenneth. Katherine took time off from teaching to raise their children but started substitute teaching at New Sharon School when Kenneth was old enough to start school. During that time she was taking night classes, summer classes and T.V. Classes and was able to receive her Bachelor's Degree from William Penn University in 1971. After receiving her degree, Katherine taught another 17 years at Oskaloosa Community School retiring in 1988 after 32 ½ years of teaching in total. She really enjoyed her years teaching and being around kids. She was an excellent seamstress, an avid reader, a great cook and loved having big family dinners. She was a member of the New Sharon United Methodist Church where she was secretary for a time during her retirement, United Methodist Women and The Order of The Eastern Star in New Sharon

Her legacy will be cherished by her children, Vivian (Allen) Kiene of Broomfield, CO, Carolyn Craver of Oskaloosa and Kenneth (Jacki) Craver of Pella; four grandchildren, Jeremy Kiene, Ben Kiene, Desha (Jeff) Bruxvoort and Jessemynn (Doug) Kanis; three great grandchildren, Lawson Bruxvoort, Zeb Kanis and Kenzie Kanis; four sisters, Ruth Phillips, Mae Klinzman, Arlene Cassens and Gayle Ferguson; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Katherine was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leland Craver in 2009; a son, Dennis Craver; a brother, James Fleming and a sister, Esther Knowler.