Katherine H. Beene

Katherine Hewitt Beene was born on December 7, 1955, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was one of nine children, born to Dr. Perry Edwin Hewitt Jr. and Gertrude Helen “Percy” Shelley Hewitt. She graduated from Haskell High School in 1974, where she sang in the choir, and went on to earn her nursing degree from Bacone College. She spent more than 40 years as a nurse—taking care of people, showing up, doing the work. Lloyd Wayne Beene started courting Kathy when they both were in their teens. Wayne might say it was the other way around. They met at Sonic. She fell in love with the multi-sport athlete. A few months later they were married on January 12, 1973, at the courthouse in Muskogee…and then, just to make sure it counted, they went back and got married again later at the church. For fifty-three years, Wayne and Kathy devoted their love to each other. In 1975, she was pregnant with Shelley Anne, working as an LPN, living in Haskell, and driving back and forth to Muskogee for her RN degree. Kathy was the kind of person who would start a softball team—the Haskell Comets—even though she never played organized sports a day in her life. But Shelley wanted to play, so Kathy made it happen. In 1978, along came her little boy, Timothy Wayne. Tim loved his momma, bringing her anything she needed. He was always a call away. If you recently looked in her wallet, you’d find a four-leaf clover Tim gave her a few years ago. She held onto the little things like that. The meaningful things. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Wayne… her daughter Shelley and partner Becky…her son Tim and his wife Kimberly… and her grandchildren Colton, Gabrielle, and Isabella. She spent many hours patting Colton while in diapers. She loved reading many books to him. He would walk in her house and Kathy always beamed happiness. Gabby lived most of her life with Wayne and Kathy until moving to Japan. Kathy and her sister, Rita, drove with Gabby to Houston to get her student visa to study in Japan. Along came Miss Bella, the horse loving grandkid. Kathy loved spending time with Bella in her horse barn. Kathy loved her grandchildren immensely and supported each one of them until her final day. Bella said it quite well, “I love you, Grandma. Ride all the horses you want. Paint the sky pretty for us.” Many former patients and co-workers would see her around town. Kathy’s glowing smile lit up the room when they told her the high level of care she provided them or their loved ones. Eventually, she retired from her lengthy nursing career after caring for generations of patients. She had a strong table presence playing bridge during her retirement years. This queen of the deck was known to have a little fun at her table if you were blessed to draw her and her bridge partner. She kept pages turning during retirement with her love of reading. She was “YFA”—Your Favorite Aunt—to a whole lot of nieces and nephews. And she earned that title. Kathy leaves behind her siblings, extended family, and more people who loved her than we could ever count. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Mary Margaret, and her brother James. And here’s something only Kathy would do—her LPN license was issued on March 23, 1978…exactly 48 years to the day she passed, March 23, 2026. Kathy showed us what it looks like to keep going. To take care of people. To love your family big. And, fight until the end. No excuses. A celebration of Kathy’s life will be held at a later date. The family asks in lieu of flowers or plants to consider donating to a local animal shelter or CASA.

Katherine H. Beene

December 7, 1955 - March 23, 2026