Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother Katherine Ann Katnik, affectionately known as “Ann”, passed away on March 30, 2022. She was 90 years old. Eight (8) of her 10 children were with her as she took her last breath. She joined her deceased youngest daughter Jennifer (deceased 1996) and her loving husband Eugene (deceased 1997). She passed on what would have been Eugene’s 91st birthday.
She is survived by her nine living children, Jane, Leslie, Steve, Bryan, Karen, Robert, Susan, Mary and Scott. Additionally, she is survived by her 22 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren.
Ann was born on December 26, 1931 to Robert Orear Marshall and Lodema Genevieve Marshall in Roundup, Montana, where her parents were teachers at the local schools. She and her sister Jane lived there with their parents until World War II began, and then they moved to California where her father took a position as a coach in Delano. She went to Fairfield High School where she excelled academically and joined the tennis team. She also played the Ukulele and had a beautiful singing voice. She was accepted to Stanford University in 1949 where she met her future husband Eugene Francis Katnik, who was from Orange, California.
Both Ann and Eugene graduated from Stanford and were married in 1953. They then moved to Connecticut because Eugene was in the Coast Guard and was stationed there. In Connecticut they had their first child, Jane. From that moment, Ann started her career as a mother/homemaker which lasted for 69 years.
From 1953 to the early 60’s she was on the move. She and Eugene moved from Connecticut back to the San Francisco Bay area where Eugene was re-stationed. They then moved to Culver City, California which is near UCLA where Eugene was attending law school. From there they moved to Orange County and eventually settled in Tustin, California. Finally, in 1964, they moved to Cowan Heights where she lived the rest of her life.
While living in Cowan Heights, Ann raised her 10 children. There she cooked fantastic meals and desserts, worked tirelessly in her garden, and cared for her cats and other pets. She also hosted all holiday events which included her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family and friends.
She was also a volunteer at her local parish, La Purisima Catholic Church in Orange, California and at the local schools as an educator, editor, and librarian.
Our mother Ann lived a very rich 90 years. She was a very special person with a loving, giving heart and a beautiful outlook on life. She was loved dearly by her family and friends and will be sorely missed.