Kathryn Davidson Younker

Kathryn (Davidson) Younker, age 95 of Paris, TN, passed away on Wednesday, October 12, 2022.

She was born on July 20, 1927, in Boonville, IN, to the late Forrest Davidson and the late Margaret Taylor Davidson.  She graduated from Boonville High School and on June 15, 1946, married Lloyd Curtis Younker, who had returned home after serving on the Battleship USS Tennessee during World War II.

In her early working years, Kate was an actual telephone operator that a caller had to talk to in order to place a call.  With the advancement to dial phones and having three children, she stopped working for a while until the family started a goat dairy operation.  She delivered processed milk to stores and residents in Boonville, IN, and Evansville, IN, using her 1957 Station Wagon.  Following the closure of the dairy operation, she began working for a lawyer in Boonville and later with a plastic intrusion firm in Evansville.  She encouraged her children to study and do well in school and was active in that endeavor as all three graduated from college.  The family was active at the Hemingway Memorial Presbyterian Church in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.  In April of 1974, while driving home from work, Kate was injured in a head on traffic accident with a driver under the influence and subsequently lost her right leg below the knee.  Unfortunately, she separated from Curt in 1976 and has lived alone ever since.

Kate loved playing cards, especially canasta, and has belonged to several card clubs over her life, the last being the Newcomers Club in Paris.  She also loved playing Bingo and made several bus trips to play in Cherokee, NC, in addition to playing wherever she lived.  She also quilted and knitted and was a member of the Homemakers Club in Paris.

Kate moved to Paris in 2010 after Frosty and Brenda built a home and retired in the Paris area.  While in Paris she has lived at the Grove Apartments and Rose Stone Retirement until July 2021 when she entered AHC Nursing Home.  She, Frosty, and Brenda all joined First United Methodist Church and have greatly appreciated the support and visitations from several church members and Pastor Joy Weathersbee.  Kate has broken all age records for the Younker, Davidson, and Taylor families, as her mother held the record of 93 years 5 months.

She is survived by her three children, Forrest “Frosty” and wife Brenda of Paris, TN, Fred of Dublin, OH, and Deretha (Younker) Gill and husband James of Newburgh, IN.

Along with her children, she is also survived by six grandchildren, Laura of Ft. Worth, TX, Sarah of Springfield, VA, David of Taylor, SC, Heidi of Roanoke, VA, Zach of Cincinnati, OH, and Jordan of Phoenix, AZ; and eight great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by a sister, Diana Collins; a great granddaughter, Eleanor Koeppel; and a granddaughter-in-law, Becky Gill.

Local arrangements are being handled by Ridgeway Funeral Home, 201 Dunlap Street/PO Box 788, Paris, TN 38242.  A celebration of life service will be held Monday November 7, 2022, at 11:00 am at First United Methodist Church, 101 East Blythe Street, Paris, TN 38242.

Out of town arrangements are being handled by Bradley Colonial Chapel, 1005 E Main St, Boonville, IN 47601.  A graveside service will be held Saturday, November 19, 2022, at Maple Grove Cemetery in Boonville, IN, where she will be laid to rest following the graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, PO Box 25, Paris, TN 38242 or at www.parisfumc-tn.org.