Muriel Marie Katakozinos

Muriel Marie Thompson Katakozinos, of Muskogee, Oklahoma was born on July 26, 1925 to Arthur and Edith (Coldwell) Thompson in Proctor, Oklahoma and departed this life on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at the age of 97 years old. Muriel spent her childhood in the country growing up in Cherokee County, where she walked with her siblings going three miles to and back every day to a one room schoolhouse. During her teenage years, she moved into town to live with her relatives in Tahlequah to be able to attend Bagley High School After High School, she moved into a large house with six other girls. She worked in a bakery, then a laundry factory, and then at the sewing factory in Tahlequah making uniforms for the soldiers. Muriel met the love of her life, Mike Katakozinos, while he was stationed at Camp Gruber in Braggs, OK. They became acquainted when Mike would make the trip from Braggs to Tahlequah to meet girls. When Mike learned he was being transferred to Fort Polk in Louisiana, he and Muriel decided to get married and did so on September 16, 1944 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. After Mike was honorably discharged from the Army, he and Muriel made their new home together in New London, Connecticut. They were blessed by the births of their two daughters, Beverly and Patty. Muriel and Mike made several moves back and forth between Connecticut and Oklahoma before settling down in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1955. When their daughters were in Junior High school, Muriel attended Beauty College in Muskogee. Once she completed school and passed the Boards, Muriel went to work for a friend who owned her own beauty shop. In 1960, Safeway Stores had an area wide drawing for a new 1960 Chevrolet Corvair. Muriel's name was drawn from the thousands of entries to win the new car. Muriel and Mike decided to sell the car and then convert their one car garage into a beauty shop using the money from the sale of the car to do so. Since Mike was in the construction business, he was able to do all the work to build "Muriel's Beauty Shop" and then build a new larger garage next to the shop. Muriel started her business and was glad to be able to be at her home at the same time. After Mike retired, they purchased a motor home and traveled to several of the National Parks meeting new friends and enjoying fishing in many of the rivers and streams. In the early part of 1971, Muriel and Mike purchased land in Cherokee County to build a new home so they could live in the country, which they both loved. First, they had a well dug for water, then the two of them built their home from the ground up while living in their motor home during the building. They loved to fish, hunt, and garden and they even grew the largest tomato grown in the state of Oklahoma in 1983. They entered their 3 pound 12 ½ ounce tomato in the "Big Tomato Contest" and from over 200 entries received from 30 counties they won the award of $100.00. In 1986 they sold their home in the country and purchased a newly constructed house in Muskogee to be closer to family and to live in town. Muriel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 66 years, her siblings, brothers, Chester and Vernon Thompson, sister, Gladys Lawson and son-in-law Terry Bishop. Muriel is survived by her children, Beverly Speck and husband Gene of Muskogee and Patty Bishop of Broken Arrow. Grandchildren -- Tracy Neisent and husband Lawrence of Edmond, Tammy Daugherty and husband Dwayne of Muskogee, Chris Bishop and wife Natalie of Broken Arrow, Micah Bishop and wife Nikki of Coweta. Great-grandchildren - Faith and Lexi Neisent, Evan Daugherty, Jack, Dean, Natalie, Blake, Dylan, and Damon Bishop, several nieces and nephews and other family and friends. Muriel will be buried next to her husband Mike at Fort Gibson National Cemetery. Entombment will be at a later date. Honorary Pallbearers will be Gene Speck, Chris and Micah Bishop, Dwayne Daugherty and Lawrence Neisent. A celebration of Muriel’s life will be 2:00 P.M., Thursday, October 20, 2022 at Cornerstone Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Lawrence Neisent officiating.

Muriel Marie Katakozinos

July 26, 1925 - October 15, 2022