Katie Lou Gardner Westerfield passed away at the age of 86 in Ridgeland on May 22, 2015. A lifelong resident of Mississippi, she was born in Neshoba on May 30, 1928 to James Alton and Nannie Pearl Gardner. She grew up in Philadelphia with sisters Fannie Bee and Lyda.
Visitation will be from 3-5pm on Sunday at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Richland. The service will be 10am Monday, May 25, 2015 in the chapel of the funeral home and interment will be at Lakewood Memorial Park on Clinton Blvd.
After graduating as valedictorian from Philadelphia High School, she moved to Jackson and began a secretarial career. Katie placed her working career on hold after the births of her children. She retired in 1991 from the Mississippi Department of Education, Vocation and Technical Division, where she worked as Secretary for the State Supervisor of Health Occupations Education and the Assistant State Director of Programs Operations Services. She continued her education while working and obtained a Bachelor’s in General Studies from Mississippi College.