Kathrine Genevive Suck

Kathrine Genevive Barber Suck, 92 of Mineral Wells, W.Va. passed away at her home Nov. 13, 2013 surrounded by her children and several family members. Born in Parkersburg, W.Va. on March 21, 1921, she was a daughter of Blanche Barnhart Barber and Samuel Derwood Barber of Washington Bottom, W.Va. Katie, as her family and friends liked to call her, had several siblings; an older sister, Helen and younger brother, Sam Barber, and Robert E. Barber all preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Edmond Lawrence Suck. Katherine is survived by a sister, Elsie Jean Dunfee of Pittsburgh.As a young girl reared during the depression, Katie endured more than her share of hard work. Her father was a carpenter for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which entailed working away from home, building and repairing railroad trestles. Consequently, during her father's absence through the work-week she had to carry out, along with her mother, all of the household duties. Often school took a backseat to priorities at home. When she moved from Parkersburg with her new husband to the Suck family dairy farm in Silverton, hard work was nothing new to her. Kathrine and Lawrence were married on New Year's Eve, 1937 at her parent's home on 36th St. in Parkersburg, W.Va.After the wedding the young couple moved to Silverton, W.Va. and together became working partners on the Maple Lawn Dairy, owned and operated by Lawrence's father. The dairy delivered twice a day, fresh bottled milk to residents of Ravenswood, W.Va. and surrounding rural communities. Shortly, Lawrence and Kathrine started their own family while living on the dairy. They had three sons, Edmond Lawrence, Jr. (Peggy) of Lakewood Ranch, FL and Robert Derwood(Kathie), and John Earl (Judy) both of Parkersburg, W.Va. and later adopted a daughter, Betty Casto Davis also of Parkersburg.In September 1946 she moved with her husband, their three sons and her husband's parents to a much larger dairy farm on the Ohio River at Willow Grove, W.Va. Katie was always ready to help on the new farm in any way she could. Besides being a full time housewife, mother of three anxious sons, gracious daughter-in-law and sister-in-law, she was often called upon with, short notice, to scurry to the hay fields to help her husband and hired help beat a forthcoming rainstorm that would destroy newly cut hay lying exposed in the fields. Kathrine would drive farm tractors, farm trucks and toil in numerous ways helping her husband and father-in-law around the farm, especially during harvest season. On rare occasions she was called upon to help round-up cattle, feed small calves and carry fresh pails of milk from the dairy barn to the milk house. Afterwards she would go back to her kitchen where her chores would be awaiting her return. Whether it was family, friends, neighbors, complete strangers and even hobos that walked the railroad tracks in the summers of the 1940's and 50's, Kathrine could never say no to anyone that she could help in any way. Katherine's kitchen was a five-star restaurant as far as the hobos were concerned. The Sunday dinner table was always piled high with enough food for everyone on the farm, including unexpected guests that often dropped by during their Sunday car rides on nice summer days. February 1954, the family moved to a large dairy farm located along the Ohio River at New England Ridge. They owned and operate this farm until 1979.In spite of Kathrine's daily rigorous schedule as a housewife, she somehow found time to lead the Willing Workers 4-H Club at Willow Grove as well as being an active member of the local Willow Grove Women's Farm Club. Later she would work several years as a postal clerk at the New England Ridge Post Office in New England, W.Va.For many years and until her recent illness, Kathrine was an active, and one of the oldest, members of the Lynn Street Church of Christ. She enjoyed and participated in many of the church's educational and social events as well as activities to help the needy in the Parkersburg community.In addition to her children and their spouses, she is survived by 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 15 great, great-grandchildren; as well as many nephews and nieces. Her home is adorned with wall-to-wall pictures and collages of all of her children, grandchildren and many nieces and nephews that she loved so much.A funeral service for Kathrine will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013 at Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home, 2333 Pike St. South Parkersburg with Evangelist Teddy Tackett officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday and one hour prior to services Saturday at the funeral home. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the charity of choice.