Dr. L. Katherine Lane, RN, PhD, of Gainesville, Florida died December 7, 2013 in Oak Harbor, WA. Dr. Lane was born Lilly Katherine Lane in Inverness, FL on March 25, 1934. She was preceded in death by an infant son, John Darow Nichols (1958), and a daughter, Gayle Patricia Nichols (2007). She was recently preceded in death by her partner of 28 years, Kenneth Maynard Cox (April 2013). She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, James Dean & Margaret Nichols, and four grandchildren, James Aaron Nichols of Mount Vernon, WA, Andrew Jason Nichols of Denver, CO & Anchorage, AK, Sarah Elisabeth Nichols of Bensenville, IL, and Daniel Joshua Nichols of Plain, WA. Katherine graduated from Baldwin High School. She graduated from St. Luke’s Nursing Hospital in Jacksonville, FL in 1956, receiving her RN. A life-long love of learning led her on a journey to receive 2 BA Degrees (1984 &1985), 2 Master’s Degrees (1994 & 2000) and eventually her PhD in Art Education (2005). Among her many talents, she was a internationally inspired cook, published author, world traveler, a voracious learner, and an artist of many forms-to include painting, ceramics, sculpture, doll-making, calligraphy & the homespun arts of knitting and needlework. Among her many achievements: Katherine published a genealogy book in 1974, titled “The Final Irony”. This compilation took 15 years of research and was painstakingly documented. She was a long-standing member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She made china dolls and dressed them in period clothing. She demonstrated making apple-head dolls at Sully Plantation in Northern Virginia in the 1970’s. She was an invitational artist in the 1980’s asked to make an ornament for a White House Christmas Tree. In the mid-1980’s she studied Chinese to better understand ancient glaze procedures in ceramics. This led to her traveling to Beijing Normal University to teach English and study Asian art and ceramics. She returned to China multiple times in the 1990’s by invitation to speak at Ancient Chinese Artifact Symposiums. To her children, she gave her unconditional love. To her four grandchildren, she not only showered them with her love but has been a constant encourager for their continuing education and humor development. A service for Katherine will be held at Whidbey Memorial at 10:00am Thursday, December 12 in Oak Harbor, WA. Interment will be at a later date at Tavares Cemetery in Tavares, FL. Family and friends are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.whidbeymemorial.com.

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