Katherine Groom Gulk

Katherine Groom Gulk

July 26, 1928 – May 13, 2022

Katherine Groom Gulk, 93, passed away May 13, 2022, from natural causes while residing at New Horizons Care Center in Lovell.

Kathie was born in Elmira, New York, July 26, 1928, to Lawrence Groom and Edyth (Taggart) Groom, one of eight children.

She spent most of her formative years in Elmira and graduated high school from South Lancaster Academy in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. Soon after graduating, Kathie was married to Clayton Philbrook. Together they welcomed Marsha Leath Ferguson of Lovell and Roger Clayton Philbrook of Hixson, Tennessee. 

In 1970 Kathie and Clayton divorced, and she entered into nursing school in Fletcher, North Carolina. She graduated in 1972. She worked as a surgical tech for more than 10 years before becoming a nurse. After getting her nursing license, Kathie worked as an operating room nurse for decades.

Her hobbies were reading and singing in choirs. She performed with a choir group that sang in seven cathedrals in Britain.

In 1979 Kathie married Ray Gulk of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in Jefferson, Texas. Her family grew to include three step-children, Tim, Dave and Dan. Shortly after getting married, the couple moved back to Sioux Falls and continued their lives.

About four years ago Kathie moved to Lovell to live with her daughter, Marsha. Ray battled with dementia and lived in a nursing home in Sioux Falls until he passed away in January 2021. Kathie moved into New Horizons Care Center, where she enjoyed her last few years.

Kathie was preceded in death by her parents; husband Ray; brothers Carl Groom, Lawrence Groom Jr., Norma Wright and Dorothy Burrington.

She is survived by her daughter, Marsha (Ron) Ferguson, of Lovell; son Roger Philbrook of Hixson, stepsons David (Barbara) Gulk of Sioux Falls, Tim (Cathy) Gulk of Jefferson, Texas, and Dan Gulk of Melbourne, Florida; sisters Evelyn Brown of Lancaster, Massachusetts, and Carol Edmister of Shelley, Idaho; brother Howard Groom of Biloxi, Mississippi; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 21, at 10 a.m. at the Bible Church in Lovell. Interment will be at a later date in Sioux Falls.