Katherine May Nowka

Katherine May Nowka, 98 was born November 13, 1916 in Fulton, Illinois. She was the 5th of 13 children born to Cornelius and Olga (Nelson) Sullivan. Her schooling ended after she completed the 8th grade then she worked in her parent’s business, Sullivan’s Café where you could buy a plate lunch for 25 cents. After their Café closed down she worked for the Swift Company cleaning chickens. She was married to Marvin Nowka on June 29, 1940 and they were married 61 years and had 6 children together.
The family later moved to Seattle before settling in Port Orchard on Long Lake in 1961. Katherine spent many summer evenings fishing on the lake in her orange life jacket (she couldn’t swim) teaching her children, grandchildren and some great-grandchildren how to fish and clean their catch.
Besides fishing, Katherine enjoyed Bingo, Elvis and Elvis impersonators, the Mariners and Seahawks.
Katherine was preceded in death by her parents, husband, 10 siblings, daughter Evelyn and grandson Robert Ryan. She is survived by her sister Evelyn Turner and her brother Eugene Sullivan; her children: Butch Nowka, Rogene Blowers, Bob (Judi) Nowka, Betty (Richard) Nowka, Sandy (Richard) Peebles; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.