Kathryn Ruth Deal Koenig, 96, passed away April 3, 2020 in Franklin, Indiana.
She was most proud of her family, her years as a minister’s wife in southern and central Indiana,
and her years as an educator. She was a talented quilter, seamstress, gardener and gracious
hostess and partner at the churches she served with her husband of 52 years, Dr. Robert W.
Koenig.
Kathryn was born to Claud and Callie Metheny Deal on August 30, 1923 at the Deal farm in
Bogard Township, near Epsom, in Daviess County, Indiana. Her father farmed, installed Delco
Light Plants in rural homes, and was Bogard Township Trustee while her mother was a teacher
at the one room Fairview School and later at the Epsom School and was a farm wife.
She graduated from Epsom High School as a proud Salt in 1941, and enrolled at Indiana
Central College (now University of Indianapolis) later that year. A member of the “Greatest
Generation”, she recalled peeling potatoes in the college kitchen on December 7, 1941 when
she learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Most male students left school to volunteer in the
armed services while she continued her freshman year and graduated in 1945. She returned to
Epsom where she taught English and Music for three years and served the rural New Bethel
EUB (Evangelical United Brethren) church as choir director (often known as ‘song leader’) when
a young Navy veteran and theological student from Freelandville, Indiana arrived as the newly assigned student minister. The Bonebrake (now United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio)
seminarian, Bob Koenig, and Kathryn, married June 15, 1949 at the New Bethel Church and
served rural churches in Orange County, Indiana (Old Union and Leipsic) until assigned to the
University Heights EUB Church, the college church at Indiana Central, in 1952. Son Joseph
Robert was born in 1951 while living in Orange County, son Mark Louis and daughter Callie Ann
were born in Indianapolis in 1954 and 1957. From 1961 to 1966 Dr, Koenig served as the
District Superintendent for the EUB churches in western Indiana, living in Terre Haute. Kathryn
fully supported her husband’s work including taking care of three children as his endeavors
often took him away from home such as when he joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his March
on Washington in August, 1963.
Kathryn (‘Kaydee’ to Bob) returned to Indianapolis in 1966 when Bob was named Executive
Director of the ecumenical Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis. She taught English at
Harry E. Wood High School and Music at Public School #39 while the children attended
Emmerich Manual High School.
From 1973 to 1994 Kathryn and Bob returned to the local pastorate serving the Mt. Vernon First
United Methodist Church (UMC) in Mt. Vernon Indiana and Roberts Park UMC in downtown
Indianapolis.
Bob retired in 1994 after 50 years in the ministry but took on pastoral roles in rural UMC
churches in Sullivan, Pike and Daviess counties after they returned to the Deal farm in
retirement. Their last assignment in retirement was the Pleasant Hill UMC in southern Daviess
County. They were part of the Pleasant Hill church until Dr. Koenig’s death in 2000.
Kathryn served as President of the University of Indianapolis Alumni Board of Directors,
substitute taught in the Mt. Vernon and North Daviess school systems and held leadership roles
in church music and church women’s groups over the years.
Kathryn continued to live (either full time or part time) at the “homeplace” (the Deal Farm near
Epsom) until she moved to the Franklin United Methodist Community (now Otterbein) in
Franklin, Indiana.
Mrs. Koenig was preceded in death by her husband and her daughter, Callie Ann, in 2003.She
is survived by her sons, Joseph Robert (Karen) of Columbus and Mark Louis, of Indianapolis.
She is also survived by five grandchildren, Kristen (Mark) Fossum, Palm Harbor, FL, Ryan
(Katrin), Koenig, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Laura (Jonathan Harvey) Koenig, Sandy Hook,
VA, Mark William (Katie) Koenig, Carmel, IN, and Christina Koenig, Noblesville. She is also
survived by 6 great grandchildren. She will be missed by many friends and other family
members.
A private family graveside service (with Rev. Philip Richardson presiding) will be held at the New
Bethel Cemetery on Wednesday, April 8, 2002 in adherence to the Coronavirus COVID-19
directives. A memorial service / Celebration of Life will be set at a later date. In lieu of flowers,
memorial gifts may be made to Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, Washington, IN or the
Kathryn R. Koenig and Robert W. Koenig Family Scholarship at the University of Indianapolis.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Gill Funeral Service, Washington, IN.
