Alma Ketchum

Pat Ketchum was born the daughter of Ralph Dick Smith and Alma Rose (Noss) Smith on November 13, 1932, in Dewey, Okla. She was raised and educated in the Dewey area. Pat was united in marriage with Charles W. Ketchum on December 19, 1949, in Bartlesville, Okla. They made their home and raised their children on the family farm north of Dewey. Pat enjoyed gardening and canning food for the family. She worked for many years at the legendary Ruth's Country Kitchen in Copan. Although behind the scenes in the kitchen, her pies and homemade rolls were enjoyed by everyone. Though her formal education was limited, Pat's keen mind and intellectual curiosity created varied reading interests. The topics of the books she read ranged from fiction, politics and newspapers, with her favorite being The Wall Street Journal. Her favorite authors ranged from Bill O'Reilly to Robert Louis Stevenson. She instilled the life-long love of reading in her girls and the love of fishing in her boys. Pat and Charles could be found many times on the banks of a creek with their fishing poles and a picnic lunch. As their children grew up and located in different areas of the United States, Pat and Charles joined their sons in sunny California to escape the cold of Oklahoma. They spent their free time with their sons touring the state. Especially interesting to Pat and Charles were the agricultural areas of California, which were much different than Oklahoma. These included the citrus groves, strawberry fields and wineries. After leaving California, they returned to their farm in Oklahoma but spent the winters in Pine Island, Fla. There they fished in the coastal waters for snapper and grouper instead of crappie. Before they were unable to travel in their later years, they visited many parts of North America with their children. This included trips to Canada, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas. Pat always enjoyed the tremendous scenery, recognizing the magnificence of God's handiwork. In their later years, they enjoyed their family and many dear friends in the Dewey area, especially Jack and Polly Dobbs. Though dealing with their own health issues, Jack and Polly found time to share a laugh and a beer. Pat will be sorely missed by Charles, her husband of 61 years. He never left her bedside in the final painful weeks of her illness. His strength and love was an inspiration to his children. Pat's deep faith sustained them in crisis, especially toward the end of her life. Throughout her lifetime she was a tireless caregiver to many in her family who were facing serious illnesses or crises. She helped care for a beloved son-in-law, Danny Cook and her sister, Faye Dean Herren.

Service Details

Friday, February 4th, 2011 11:00am, Colonial Chapel, Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home