1 John 1:9 was Katherine’s assurance that God forgave her because of her faith in Jesus. Katherine’s father had to give up farming because of illness. At 15, Katherine was required to leave school to support the family. She was devastated, but found peace in the promise of Proverbs 3:5–6. She later attended Elim Bible School, Yarrow, B.C., and MBBI (now Columbia Bible College), Abbotsford, B.C. She moved to Vancouver at 16 and cleaned house for wealthy families. She found factory work at Blue Ribbon Tea and Coffee a welcome change. A year of secretarial courses at Pitman’s Business School qualified her to work for a large insurance company. She enjoyed office work for many companies. Katherine served Mennonite Central Committee in Esopus, N.Y., in 1960, helping troubled teens. She worked for a Canadian Christian TV ministry for 7 years. At 48 and 60, Katherine had surgery for cancer; both times, she returned to work after 1 month, thanking God for healing. In 2001, she recovered fully from open heart surgery, but a stroke in 2009 damaged her vocal cords and left side. Through times of doubt, God always brought her back.
