Katherine Emrick Stephenson
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Katherine Emrick Stephenson (79), Lexington, KY, passed away on April 8, 2022. Formerly of Ashland, KY, where she was born and raised, she had also been a resident of Tampa, FL, Beech Mountain, NC and Naples, FL. She has had a home in Lexington since 2008. Mrs. Stephenson was born on November 5, 1942, the third child of Edward Everett Emrick and Mary Bentley Woods Emrick. She was predeceased by her parents, a sister, Ann Emrick Hancock, a brother, Robert E Emrick, and a brother-in-law, Robert M. Stephenson. Mrs. Stephenson graduated from Ashland High School, Ashland, KY, in 1960. She attended Centre College, Danville, KY, between 1960 and 1963. She then transferred to the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL in 1963 to join her future husband, Jim, who was a student there. At the University of Tampa, she became a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, earned her BS degree on June 7, 1964, and was married to Jim a day later. She and Jim then moved to Lexington where she was employed by the University of Kentucky while he attended law school. In 1967, upon law school graduation, they moved back to Tampa where he began practicing law and she began raising a family. She and her family moved to Ashland in 1977 when Jim joined Ashland Oil, Inc. They later retired to Naples, FL and Beech Mountain, NC in 1998 before returning to Lexington permanently in 2018. In Ashland, Mrs. Stephenson was a member of the Charity Club. Additionally, she was a Director of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Foundation and the Kentucky Arts and Craft Foundation (now the KMAC Museum). In Lexington, she was a member of the Cathedral of Christ the King, the Thoroughbred Club of America and the Keeneland Club. Mrs. Stephenson is survived by her husband of 57 years, James G. Stephenson; her daughter, Rebecca Stephenson Gohmann (John) of Lexington, KY, and her son, James G. (Jay) Stephenson, Jr. (Beth), of Charlotte, NC. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Jack Gohmann, Lauren Gohmann, Elizabeth Stephenson, Ford Stephenson and Hugh Stephenson; one brother, William P. Emrick (Debbie) of Lexington, KY; a brother-in-law, Dan T. Stephenson (Barbara) and of Indian Land, SC and sister in-law, Martha LaFon Stephenson, of Naples, FL and Lexington. A funeral mass will be held at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington, KY on a date that will be announced in the future. The family wish to acknowledge and extend special thanks to Brenda Featherston for her wonderful care, assistance, and home management over the last year. Further, sincerest thanks to Kim Jennings, Joan Henderson and Lelah Jennings for their devoted care of Mrs. Stephenson during her illness. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Michael J Fox Foundation, Donation Processing, P O Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Milward Funeral Directors, www.milwardfuneral.com.