Kathryn Lennox

KATHRYN LENNOX

Coggon

Kathryn Lucille (Fisher) Lennox, 96, of Coggon, died Friday, July 29, 2016, at Bickford Cottage in Marion. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Central City. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, at United Parish Church in Coggon. Inurnment: Coggon Cemetery.

Survivors include her children, Susan (Bill) Gericke of Central City, Linda Dickson of Stone City and Roger (Sandra) Lennox of Coggon; five grandchildren, Douglas Gericke, Daryl Gericke, Matthew Fitzgerald, Mary Nelson and Jesse Lennox; three stepgrandchildren, Chad Noska, Kent Noska and Emily Hoover; 23 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William; six brothers, Carl Fisher, Harold Ellsworth, Fred Fisher, Martin Fisher, Russell Fisher (who died in the Wapsipinicon River when he was 9 years old) and Delmer Fisher; three sisters, Margaret Meineke, Isabel Diltz and Lorraine Cook; a grandson, Richard Gericke; and a son-in-law, Richard Dickson.

Kathryn was born July 14, 1920, in Troy Mills, Iowa, the daughter of Edwin and Julia (Pike) Fisher. She was the ninth child in a family of 10 and grew up during the years of the Great Depression. Kathryn graduated from Troy Mills High School in 1937. Later, she attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls long enough to obtain a Normal Training certificate that was needed to teach in rural schools in Iowa. Kathryn taught two years at Dix School in Linn County, which was located on one-half acre of the Jesse Lennox farm, Jackson Township, District 4. She was united in marriage to William "Bill" Lennox in Central City on May 30, 1942, at the beginning of World War II. They lived for 45 years on the home farm, and later moved to Coggon. William died Nov. 15, 2005.

Kathryn was a victim of a rare condition, narcolepsy, that ruled her life from high school age until her death. It wasn't the lack of sleep that caused this sleep problem but brain damage. She developed cataplexy as a result of narcolepsy in later years. Luckily, she had a very understanding husband.

Kathryn loved living and working on the farm and participating in farm organizations.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church which later became United Parish Church. Kathryn was baptized on the same day as her daughters were.

Please share a memory of Kathryn at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.