Obituary of Rowena Kather

Rowena (Rene Town) Kather, age 83, died at the home of her daughter in Marietta on Saturday, August 12, 2017. Rene was a graduate of LaFayette Central School. She was also a graduate of Syracuse University, from which she held the degree of Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School. As a veteran of the US Navy during the Korean War, she served in hospitals that received injured soldiers from the Korean War. She was proud to be a Hospital Corpsman helping in the care of Navy and Marine Corps personnel. She was especially proud to have drawn blood from then General Dwight Eisenhower, later President of the United States. Rene retired as Director of Analytical and Technical Services from State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry at the end of 1990. During her retirement, she served as Commander of American Legion Post 1388 in Fabius. She also enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, gardening, golfing and traveling. She is survived by two sons, William (Sandra) Paben of Cazenovia and Eric (Ricky) Kather of Charlotte, NC; two daughters, Elaine (Richard) Haumann of Marietta and Nancy Kather of Liverpool; eleven grandchildren, Danielle (Chad) Volles, Theresa (Jeffrey) Reisner, Matthew Town, Ian Haumann, and Nicholas (Katie) Paben, William and Ralph Paben, Tish and Kevin Everson, Shaina and AJ Davis; eight great-grandchildren, Allison, Lauren and Jacob Volles, Annora, Torrey and Liberty Reisner, and Madison and Melody Town. Additionally, the special people in her life surviving are Virginia Scida and her children Joseph (Cherisse), Daniel, Peter and Theresa (Mike) and their combined children, Joseph, Alexis, Sarah, Casey, Julie, Jacob, Anna and Maria. Rene is also survived by several loving nieces and nephews. Calling hours will be Wednesday, August 16, 2017, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Ballweg & Lunsford Funeral Home, 4612 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13205. Funeral services will be Thursday, August 17, 2017, at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial, with military honors, will be in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Jamesville. In lieu of flowers: Rene was an advocate of charitable donations. Please consider donations to the American Lung Association, Auto-Immune Research, Stem Cell Research, Alzheimer's, or any children's fund. To express sympathy, please visit www.ballweg-lunsford.com.