Katherine Marjorie Taron

Katherine Marjorie Taron, born October 17, 1943, to Pierre and Lelia Taron of Shawnee, left her failing physical body to be in the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, August 22, 2025.

She left a legacy of faith and generosity to her daughter, Demita Winegardner; grandchildren, Sean Winegarder, Brooke Winegardner, and Jillian Floyd; and great grandson, Wayne Winegardner.

Katherine, the eleventh of thirteen children, was raised in Shawnee, Oklahoma. She graduated high school from St. Benedict’s.  Katherine spent her life moving around Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, ending in Tecumseh, Oklahoma to be closer to her family.  Katherine was an avid reader and loved reading historical fiction. She also loved crossword and sudoku puzzles and spending time with her grandchildren.

Katherine had a servant’s heart; she gave sacrificially to all, especially to her daughter Demita.  She served her family, church, and community, always looking for an opportunity to give of her time or limited resources. She overcame every obstacle to ensure her daughter had the best chance at a successful life and never let her give up on the opportunity to pursue an engineering degree. In 1987, Katherine helped move her daughter to Oklahoma to attend the University of Oklahoma, which was an eight-hour drive from home. During the drive, Demita pulled over and stopped on the side of the interstate because she was crying so hard she couldn’t continue. She was worried about leaving her mom. Katherine held her in her arms and said sternly, “Demita, I had a life before you. I will have a life after you.” These words comforted her daughter in that moment and in the following years.

Katherine was extremely intelligent, and able to figure out a solution to any problem. If you needed a side table but didn’t have the funds to purchase one, she would craft one out of boxes she saved for such an occasion. The table might be ugly, but it would be sturdy and functional.  She once constructed a front-end loader tractor costume out of boxes and broom handles for her grandson, Sean.

Katherine had an unshakeable faith in God and people. If a person behaved badly, she was quick to reason that there must be some traumatic event from their past that caused them to behave this way; therefore, we must pray for them. If she ever faulted God for any of the trials she faced, she never voiced that idea, but always firmly believed that God would take care of her. If Demita ever complained that a Tylenol had not helped her headache, Katherine would reply, “Well, just think of how bad the headache would be if you hadn’t taken it.”

Katherine’s wake will be held 6:00 p.m., Friday, September 12, 2025, at Cooper Funeral Home, in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery in Tecumseh, Oklahoma.