Kathie Lou Childers

Kathie Lou Childers, 78, of Bedford, VA, died on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.  She was the daughter of the late Clem Albert Childers, Jr., and Cathryn Conrad Terry Childers.  She was born on August 28, 1946, in  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the youngest of three daughters.

Kathie grew up in Raleigh, NC, and attended Ravenscroft School, an Episcopal day school, and finished high school at St. Mary’s School, also in Raleigh.  She graduated from Vasser College in Poughkeepsie, NY, as a history major. After teaching for ten years in middle school in Rhode Island, Kathie enrolled at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, earning a master’s degree in Personnel – Labor Relations.

She was hired by Pratt & Whitney in the aircraft engine division rotating three shifts among several manufacturing plants in Connecticut.

Kathie had many adventures during her commuting driving Lorenso, her red Lotus Elan sports car, which mysteriously drank oil.  She traveled with a case of oil in the trunk.

Kathie moved to Virginia to be nearer family and bought a small farm property in Thaxton.  After a cancer diagnosis, she moved into her present home on Clearview Road, Bedford.

She was active in her church, St. John’s Episcopal ,serving on the vestry, on the altar guild, on kitchen committee, running a one-woman card ministry, and chairing the outreach committee.   She was an active member of Chapter AR, P.E.O. Sisterhood, a philanthropic organization devoted to women’s education.  She was in the Bookmark Club, and The Garden Club of Bedford. She also volunteered for Bedford Ride, the Bedford Hospice House, and the Bedford Free Clinic.

Kathie was very proud to have been The Bedford Library’s Librarian to the Homebound for fifteen years.  She was devoted to her clients and sometimes loaned them her own books.  She was based at the central library and treasured her co-workers there. 

She is survived by her two older sisters: Kay C. Waff, Bedford, and Karen C. Bassett, Mystic, CT. Her brother-in-law, John Waff, was her special friend, except when HER N.C. State Wolfpack played basketball against HIS University of N.C.Tarheels.  Neither was a particularly gracious loser!

She is also survived by two nieces and six nephews and their families: Brian Bassett & Sarah Wasserman, Henry & Hugh, Boston; Rebecca & Dan O’Conner, Northampton, MA; Tom Bassett & Bryony Coupe, Alba, Manon, Caio, Swansea, Wales; Bill & Erika Bassett, Jack & Caroline, Waterford, CT; John H. & Nikki Waff, Branden, Brittany, Nick, Roanoke, VA; Peter & Robin Waff, Jacob, Phillip, Olivia, Blue Ridge, VA; Kathryn “Katy” & Darren Craig, Maggie, Sammy, Thaxton, VA;  Andrew & Rachel Waff, Anderson, Abram, Asher, Radford, VA.

Kathie and her sisters loved and adored their late maternal grandmother Hurley, Cecelia, Louisa, Barbara, Adeline Tyler Terry.  “The Terry Girls,” as they were known in Arcadia, OK, spent every summer of their childhood on Tom & Hurley Terry’s farm. “The farm”, that farm, was a primary anchor in their lives.

A funeral and celebration of life will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Thursday, January 18, at 1:00 pm officiated by the Rev. Wilson Brown.  Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.  A reception will follow at St. John’s.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Bedford, is assisting the family.