Catharine Jane Wakefield

Catharine Jane Wakefield was born November 28, 1918, in Saginaw, Texas, and passed away peacefully in her sleep December 23, 2016.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 31, at Saginaw United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Saginaw Cemetery. The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, December 30, at Biggers Funeral Home.

Catharine’s parents, Clarence Clell and Agnes Zenita Barrett Wakefield, and two older siblings arrived in Saginaw, Texas by train in 1910 and made a home at the corner of what is now West Green Street and South Hampshire Street in Saginaw. Catharine’s father opened a general merchandise store and ice house that soon held Saginaw’s first post office, where he served as the first postmaster. When Catharine’s father, Clell, passed away in 1924, her mother, Agnes, took over his postmaster position for many years.

Catharine graduated from North Side High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Wesleyan College (TWC) in 1939, and a Master of Physical Education degree from the University of Texas. She taught in secondary schools in Winters, San Angelo, and Fort Worth before beginning her 37 year career at TWC, where she served as Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education, Chairman of the Physical Education Department, Dean of Women, Director of Teacher Admissions, and Professor of Health and Physical Education, before retiring in 1984.

She was active in professional organizations such as Texas State Teachers Association, National Education Association, Fort Worth Physical Education Club, both Texas and American Associations for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, the Southern Association of Physical Education for College Women, American Association of University Women, Fort Worth Council of Administrative Women, Texas Association for Women Deans and Counselors, Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, and Delta Kappa Gamma, a teaching fraternity. In addition, Catharine was a life-long member of Saginaw United Methodist Church (of which her parents were founding members), Altrusa Club of Fort Worth, and the Etta Newby Club of the Women’s Club of Fort Worth.

Her positive, generous, energetic personality was highly regarded by all who knew her and was a testament to how she forever lived her faith. Catharine’s many extensive interests included photography, birdwatching, traveling to Hawaii and Australia, crafting, gardening, genealogy, and archery.

She is predeceased by her parents, brothers Maurice Barrett, Samuel Albert, John Luther, Clarence Dwite, and Billy Warren Wakefield, and a sister Edna Caryl Wakefield Naugle.

She is survived by four generations of nieces and nephews who will always lovingly refer to her as “Aunt Pete”.