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UNGEMACH -- KATHERINE As a song once said, it is not how you start, but how you finish, yet a solid start surely helps assure a brighter future. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for us to focus on setting children up to win. In the early 1920's, in contrast, four children found themselves homeless when their father's wanderlust resulted in his leaving the family, and their mother found herself fighting the battle of overwhelming depression. Katherine Ungemach was second oldest of those four children. Born on November 15th of 1915 in Hillsdale, NJ, Katherine came from a strong German heritage, with a large family of proud printers in Lower Manhattan on her father's side, and a tradition of strong women on her mother's side. Katherine's great-grandmother ran a New York boarding house that catered to the workers who built the monumental, and groundbreaking, Brooklyn Bridge; Katherine's grandmother and her three sisters grew up with a strong work ethic, helping their mother in running that boarding house. It was one of Katherine's grandmother's sisters, Tante Katie, who, in her 60's, took in little Katherine, her sisters, and her brother. Taking on that new responsibility (with one child being just a toddler), was a bit much for Tante Katie, who lost her husband just a year later, so an active little Katherine was sent off to live with two maiden aunts, who were known to be more than a bit strict. Katherine later returned to her siblings and her Tante Katie. Young Katherine was known to be a bit introverted and bookish, a good student, yet she was also known to have a strong sense of self, and, even more, a strong sense of faith. Such a deep seeded faith might seem impossible for others with such a rocky and uncertain start, and many might suffer from a persistent lack of confidence, or worse. Katherine, however, inspired others in their own faith; a younger neighbor gives Katherine and her sister Ruth credit for her own strong, lifelong, Catholic faith, and Katherine is remembered as having walked up the long hill to their church for Missions and other special services time and time again. Katherine pursued life as a nun, but every religious order denied her, as her parents had not been married in the Church. Katherine persevered, and did manage to join two different convents, where she lived during the war years; in one, attached to an orphanage, she tended the hen house. She moved on to a career as an accountant in New York City, and then Massachusetts, where she lived in Swansea and was a valued employee of Lever Brothers. During those years, she was known for her handling of German Shepherds, and she adored and cherished her two Shepherds: Tammy and Sentry. Katherine would delight her nieces and nephews with her stories of traveling the world, including Rome, Greece, and Egypt, where she even rode a camel. In 1976, Katherine moved in with her sister Ruth in Park Ridge, NJ, and she worked at the corporate headquarters of A&P until her retirement in the late 1980's, when Katherine and Ruth then moved to New Mexico. Katherine is remembered for her kindness to others (including visits to the poor, elderly and the homebound), her always remembering the birthdays of family and friends, and her generous donations to countless Catholic organizations and seminaries, veterans organizations, missionaries and Southwest Indian foundations. She was a member of the Franciscans and the Marianites in New Mexico, and she inspired many good works throughout her life. Her life savings have been left to her favorite charities. She firmly stood against injustice, and, while she would not preach, she set an example of love and compassion. Only last year, Katherine lost her beloved rescued cat, Whiskers, after twelve years together; she had been determined to outlive him so that he would not be alone. Katherine was predeceased by her older sister, Marie Ungemach Mackey, her brother, Everett J. Ungemach, and a niece, Cecelia Mackey Mandarano. Katherine is survived by her younger sister, Ruth Ungemach Kirk, fourteen nieces and nephews, and countless great nieces and great nephews. Friends may visit French Mortuary on Lomas on Wednesday, February 29th at 3pm for the Rosary. Mass will be held at Annunciation Church at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 1st. Burial services will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Please visit our online guestbook for Katherine at www.RememberTheirStory.com. FRENCH 10500 Lomas Blvd NE 505-275-3500
        Published on: Sun February 26, 2012