FARMINGTON – Katherine Louise Huston Kankainen passed away on Nov. 11, 2016, at the age of 93. She will be remembered as wife, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother and teacher.
In addition to sharing her life with her husband, Mauno, for 67 years, they raised two sons, Eric and Michael, provided lodging for hunters and skiers; plus, she taught school for over 30 years. Teaching was a lifelong passion.
Katherine was an exceptional person: graduating from high school early and enrolling in college at the age of 15; she began her teaching career at the age of 18 in a one room school in Maine then in Connecticut.
She met Mauno while serving as a United Service Organization (USO) hostess on a visit to Maine after World War II. She continued teaching until the birth of her oldest son Eric. She then took a break from teaching fulltime (to raise her sons), during this time she provided lodging and meals, sold encyclopedias, did some sewing and substitute teaching and other jobs to help balance the budget. She returned to teaching fulltime when her sons reached high school.
Always an adventurer-a skier and athlete in her youth, a traveler with girlfriends to destinations like Cuba before marriage then after marriage accompanying her “boys” on fishing and camping trips plus travels to Canada, Washington D.C., Florida and Finland, and later with Mauno to FinnFests, dances, national parks, Alaska, Finland, Russia and extended winter stays in Hawaii and Spain.
She was a very active member and a supporter of the First Baptist Church in Kingfield.
Katherine is survived by Mauno, two sons and their wives: Eric (Kathy) and Michael (Margaret), four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her infant daughter Karen, her parents Ronald and Helen (Tukey) Huston, and her brothers Walter, Russell and Carl Huston.
Her family wishes to thank the staff at Orchard Park for their loving care these last few years, and to her primary care provider, Shannon Munro at Mount Abram health Center.
There will be a celebration of her life at a spring 2017 date to be announced. Please let her sons know if you are interested in attending (a contact email address on her memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com would be most helpful).
Remembrance gifts may be given in memory of “Mrs. K” (Katherine Huston Kankainen) to Webster Library, PO Box 518, Kingfield, ME 04947. Cremation services are in the care of the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Rd., (rtes. 2 & 27) Farmington.
My sincere condolences go to the family of Kay. I grew up knowing Kay and remember her coming to the house many times to talk to my parents about church items. She was a faithful member of The First Baptist Church and loved her Lord with all her heart. I bought my first Life Insurance from her, it being a Maccabees Life Insurance, which I still have today. I remember the love that she showed to all the children that she taught. May God Bless each one of you. My prayers and thoughts are with you at this time. My E-Mail is dfhamlin@myfairpoint,net.