Turney, Katherine Sumner "Kitty" (VanDyck) 1916-2005

VANDYCK, TOWLE, LARSON, MCLAUGHRY, THOMANN, ALLEN, HARRIS, CADELL, WEIRBACH, BURNS, FESS, NOREIKA, FISHER

Posted By: Debbie Nash - Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/1/2005 at 21:23:15

Katherine Sumner VanDyck Turney
August 29, 2005

Katherine Sumner VanDyck Turney, 89, passed away on August 8, 2005 in San Marcos, TX. "Kitty" was born in Schenectady, NY on January 3, 1916, the second of 8 children born to Louis Bevier and Marguerite Towle VanDyck. She was graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1934 and worked as a legal secretary for General Electric Company in Schenectady. She married Dillon Spielman Turney of Fairfield, IA on September 19, 1940.

Four daughters were born to the couple: Christine, Kathryn, Isabel and Virginia. Following brief residencies in Washington DC, San Francisco, CA and Schenectady, NY, she lived in Fairfield until retiring to West Des Moines, Ames, and later to San Marcos. She was a member of First Lutheran Church, PEO, Fairfield Women's Club, and Fairfield Golf and Coutry Club. Her life long activities included knitting, painting, singing, bridge, quilting, golf and bowling. She loved her family, poetry and summer visits to Lake George, NY, and Minocqua, WI.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her daughter Virginia Larson, her brother Louis VanDyck and sister Anne McLaughry.

Three daughters and their husbands, Christine and Larry Thomann of Riverside, IA Kathryn and Richard Allen, San Marcos, TX and Isabel and Hank Harris, Ames, IA survive her as well as son-in-law Fred Larson of Story City, IA. She leaves behind 12 grandchildren: Emily Cadell, Waco, TX; Edward (Ted) Weirbach, San Antonio, TX; Jesse Burns, North Liberty, IA; Margaret Fess, New Berlin, WI, Isaac Burns, Madison, WI, Annabelle Burns, North Liberty, IA, Dorothy Noreika, Bozeman, MT, Joel Harris, Ames, IA, Dillon Harris, Ames, IA, John Larson, Omaha, NE, Carrie Larson, Ames, IA, and Peter Larson, Story City, IA; 9 great grandchildren: Hunter, Sydney and Mallory Cadell; Justin Burns; Zane and Mae Weirbach; Sam and Ben Fess; and Lou Noreika. Surviving siblings are Peter Van Dyck, Bolton Landing, NY; Philip VanDyck, Schenectady, NY; David VanDyck, West Hartford, CT; and Richard VanDyck, Schenectady, NY; and her sister Margaret "Dolly" Fisher, Pattersonville, NY. She will also be missed by many loving nieces and nephews.

Katherine will be buried in Fairfield, IA, in September 2005. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Dillon S. and Katherine V. Turney Iowa State University Scholarship Fund at the First Lutheran Church in Fairfield, IA.

(Paid obituary)

Courtesy of the Fairfield Daily Ledger Inc. 2005