Katherine Phillips Frank, wife of Fernando Louis Frank passed away early Saturday morning May 23rd,2026 with her eldest son, Philip by her side. She was 95 years old. The family will be eternally grateful for the loving, dedicated and compassionate care that Philip gave our sweet Mother.

Katherine was born in Hay Springs, Nebraska on April 28th,1931 however the local courthouse recorded her birth as April 29th, so that is the day she celebrated her birthday. She grew up on a farm or as she liked to call it, “the ranch”, with her father LloydPhillips, her mother, Margaret Smith Phillips,her sister Marion (Sr.Gemma) and brothers Paul and Joe. She played the violin and the piano.

She attended a Catholic all girls boarding school for high school. She graduated and was elected “Miss Hay Springs “.

She attended the College of St. Mary and also worked in a furniture store.

Her best friend Audrey’s mother suggested that they should” go out and see the world” and move to New Orleans…. so, they did.

She got a job as a secretary. She was fixed up by a friend on a blind date and met her future husband, Fernando at The Roosevelt Coffee shop.  They got engaged at the Swan Room of The Hotel Montelone. They were married in Hay Springs and took a honeymoon drive back to New Orleans stopping in Hot Springs South Dakota and St Louis, Missouri to see The Gateway Arch.

When their first-born son Philip Raymond Frank arrived, they moved to a beautiful little house in River Ridge, LA. Two years later a daughter named Suzanne Marie Frank came along. They enjoyed walks on the levee, and Friday nights at French Quarter Oyster Bars and Cafe Dumonde. Katherine would ride the bus and the streetcar with her little ones to go to the Dentist or to the Audubon Zoo. Swimming at Lynn Park Country Club was a family favorite along with visits to Grandma Frank’s house in the Garden District and Mardi Gras parades with close friends.

Fernando’s employment took the family to Baton Rouge where they lived in a house right across the street from St Thomas Moore where they enjoyed being a Catholic family going to church, school, Parish and Knights of Columbus activities. Katherine volunteered for leadership roles with her children’s school and after school activities with which she always encouraged her children to use their talents to the fullest. She belonged to the community ”Welcome Wagon “ and the Baton Rouge “ Ladies Society “ The family was blessed with another son, Stephen Joseph Frank and he joined them on their many early morning fishing trips to little towns in Louisiana, and annual Summer vacations to Florida and even visiting Disney World on a surprise Thanksgiving vacation where we were told, “ Get up ,we’re going to Disney World!”

Fernando’s job then took the family to Houston where they were founding members of St Bernadette’s Parish starting out at Armand Bayou Elementary. Katherine continued supporting her children’s education and returned to school to finish her own college education. She graduated from UHCL with honors earning a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Psychology with Counseling certifications as well. Katherine combined her past unofficial Doctorate of House Cleanology with her Psychology degrees and ran her own house cleaning business helping people happily experience a “Katherine clean” house.

She and her UHCL friend, Phyllis, went to Europe and she got to visit London, her country of heritage and got to see many of her favorite artworks at the Louvre in Paris. She especially loved Van Gogh.

Katherine enjoyed exercising at gyms and took water exercise and Adult Swim lessons from her daughter Suzanne.

In retirement years she was blessed with a granddaughter whom she was very proud of, Holly Michelle Frank. She enjoyed a very special final cruise to Alaska with Fernando right before he passed in 2014. Katherine enjoyed getting to know her sons, daughter, and son in law West Doucet as adults.  Together they made many memories from trips, museum visits, movies, special meals, holidays, and birthdays. Katherine maintained a special relationship with each of her children and was so blessed to be able to live out her final days at home with her family caring for her. She would listen, give advice when asked, and just show genuine LOVE just by being herself. EVERYONE who ever met her would remark how SWEET she is. NO ONE will ever forget those BIG BLUE EYES, her BEAUTIFUL smile or her gentle, kind, patient, and always calm soul. Rest in peace dear Katherine Frank.

The family will have a private gravesite Committal at the Houston National Cemetery where she will rest in peace with our Father Fernando Louis Frank. Family and friends are invited July 5th at 11:00 am to Sunday Mass that will be said at St Bernadette’s Catholic Church for Katherine and Fernando. We will be sharing memories of Katherine and Fernando afterwards at her favorite restaurant The Don-key Mexican restaurant in Pasadena.