"Tennie" Katherine (Kathy) Nix

Katherine (Kathy) Nix, 92, passed away at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Steve Pomroy, on June 9, 2023 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Katherine was born October 29, 1930 to Mrs. Bessie and Mr. Argus Nix in the front bedroom of the family home in Shamrock, Texas. She accepted Christ as her Savior when she was seven years old and had attended Baptist churches since that time. She graduated from Shamrock High School with the class of 1949. She graduated from Draughan Business College in Amarillo, TX, in 1950, where she met and married the father of her two daughters. After a short marriage, she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her two small daughters, Kathy and Diane, and her legal ward, Phyllis Tyvenge, whom she raised and loved as a precious daughter.

Kathy worked for Robert K. Burns Construction Company and Hesseldon Construction while also working as a waitress part-time. She saved all her tip money for a down payment on her home. She was also a part-time model for Kistler-Collister for many years. For the last 24 years of her working life, she was employed by Raymond Mechanical Contractors as the first female estimator for mechanical plumbing in the Southwest. She retired early due to a job-related accident. In her 70’s, she worked part-time as a home health care aide, providing excellent care for two different women.

Kathy was active in the American Business Women’s Association in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she held numerous officer positions, including President, and was twice named Woman of the Year. She was instrumental in starting a scholarship program for deserving women who wanted to go to college. She was a member of the American Society of Estimators, the American Subcontractors Association, and the Albuquerque Little Theater.

Kathy was an accomplished artist, and her oil paintings could be seen at various art galleries in Albuquerque. She was a published author, contributing short stories to Redbook and Good Housekeeping magazines and interviews and articles to wrestling and race car magazines. She wrote three novels and two screenplays, which were her dream to see recognized and published. 

Kathy moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2005, then to Rio Rancho, NM, in 2016 to live with her daughter Kathy and son-in-law David Thibodaux. In 2018 she moved to Chambersburg, PA, living independently until moving in with her daughter Diane and Steve in 2022 until her passing. 

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Argus and Bessie Nix; brothers, Jessie, Mannon, and James; a sister, Ethel Woollard; a grandson, Jason Thibodaux; and Phyllis (Tyvenge) Woollard.

Kathy is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Kathy and David Thibodaux of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Diane and Steve Pomroy of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; four grandchildren, Joseph Thibodaux, Kerri Ryan, Katelyn Collins, and Samantha Pomroy; six great-grandchildren, Brittany Merryman, Amber Thibodaux, Christopher Thibodaux, Thomas Zurek, and Rhys Thibodaux; and Taylor Dea Barnette-Thibodaux, the niece and ward of Kathy and David, whom she considered as a great-grandchild. She is also survived by one brother, Gene Nix of Santa Fe, NM, and Richard Woollard (husband to Phyllis) and his children, Mannon, Shelly, Becky, Robby, and Matt.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to Child Evangelism Fellowship^®, P.O. Box 94, Mifflintown, PA 17059. Kathy desired to see that children have the opportunity to hear about Jesus in their own language. For the past five years Kathy helped her daughter Diane mail her CEF newsletter and had become quite a prayer warrior for the ministry of CEF. 

Recently, Kathy enjoyed coloring pictures to send overseas with the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoebox ministry. This gave her a sense of purpose in her later years, knowing that children around the world would have a piece of signed art.

Graveside services will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday, June 17th, 2023, at Sunset Memorial Park, located at 924 Menaul NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87107, where Kathy will be laid to rest next to her parents.