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Funeral services for Katie Noe (Katherine Schultz Winders), 93, of Gallup, will be held Tuesday, September 8, 1998 at 10:30 a.m., at the Little Sisters of the Poor-Guadalupe Villa Chapel in Gallup, NM. Father Edward Richmond will officiate. Burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup, NM. For the past several years she had been a resident at the Little Sisters of the Poor Care Center. She was a lifelong resident of Gallup and McKinley County. Katherine was born in the family home in Gallup on May 7, 1905 and she died on September 4, 1998 at the Little Sisters of the Poor after a lengthy illness. With the death of her mother and brother in 1912, she and her sister, Margaret moved to their grandparents home in Navajo. When the Winders family was transferred to the Gibson mining community, Katie attended the Gibson School through the eighth grade. The extended family returned to their residence on Hill Street in Gallup where she could continue her schooling. Katherine Winders was one of 11 graduates from Gallup High School-the only High School in McKinley County in 1921. Katie and Thomas Clark Noe were married in the Winders home in 1924. Their son, Robert, was born a year later. Katie Noe continued her employment at the Cotton Mercantile following marriage, working through the many facets of the Cotton Mercantile operation. The next 20 years she was employed by C.N. Cotton, Gross-Kelly, Charles Ilfield Co., Gallup Mercantile, C.G. Wallace Indian Trading at Zuni and Gallup. At Zuni, Katie was the first woman to buy Zuni crafts directly from the makers. Word of mouth soon spread the information of her honesty, craft knowledge, and insistence upon fine workmanship from Zuni, across the Navajo country, the Western and Rio Grande Pueblos. Katie became the first woman in Gallup in 1953 to start and own outright a trading enterprise. She opened"The Zuni Shop" for retail and wholesale of the finest Native American craft created by regional artisans. While conducting the business of a successful craft outlet, Katie became very active at the state and national level lobbying to protect authentic Indian Hand Made Jewelry from imitation or manufactured copies. She was very instrumental in securing the first statewide and subsequently nationwide legislation to protect and identify by makers Hallmarks authentic Handmade Native American Jewelry and craft. Owner of The Zuni Shop, Katie entered the finest of regional craft in competitions at the New Mexico State Fair, the Navajo Tribal Fair, the Zuni-McKinley County Fair, and the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial. One year her fine entries for the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial collected 103 ribbons and 11 special awards. The quality of her craft choices made The Zuni Shop a major supplier to the Department of Interior Shop in Washington, DC. Katie's knowledge of turquoise, silver, pottery, Navajo rugs, Pueblo weaving, basketry, and kachinas were just qualifications for her to be requested throughout Arizona and New Mexico. She was a member and strong supporter of the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial and served on the Board of Directors of the Navajo Tribal Arts and Crafts Enterprise. Her many awards included the prestigious"Award for Merit" from the Department of Interior Arts and Crafts Board for"Commitment to the High Standards of Craftsmanship and Continuing Emphasis on Integrity." She is survived by her son, Robert C. Noe and wife, Sally, both of Gallup; grandchildren, Kathe Noe and Bill Noe and his wife, Diana, both of Gallup, Tom Noe of Australia; great-grandchildren, Jason Foutz and Amber Noe, both of Albuquerque and Chris Noe of Singleton, Australia. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas C. Noe; parents; brother and sister; and her grandparents. For those who choose, donations may be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1900 Mark Ave., Gallup, New Mexico 87301. Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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