Katherine Daugherty Robertson, passed away on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, just a few weeks short of her 97th birthday. She was born on July 27, 1921 in Dallas, Texas to Oba Hendrick Wood Daugherty and Herbert Janes Daugherty of Marshall, Texas. After graduating from Marshall High School at the age of 16 – she skipped two grades -- Katherine attended Marshall Junior College for one year, then the Texas State College for Women in Denton (now Texas Woman’s University) for one year, and then The University of Texas at Austin for two years majoring in business administration. At The University of Texas she joined the Alpha Delta Pi sorority where she made many lifelong friends, and it was there that she met Chapin Yates, who was then a graduate student at the College of Engineering. Katherine and Chapin were married in Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, Texas in 1941. During World War II, Chapin was employed by Remington Arms in Delaware, and following the war, he was employed by Dow Chemical in Connecticut. Their two children were born in Connecticut. Katherine missed Texas and did not like the cold Connecticut winters, so in 1948 the Yates family moved to Pasadena, Texas. Chapin was employed initially at Goodyear and later at Rohm and Haas, and Katherine worked as an office administrator for Texas Engineering in Houston. Katherine and Chapin were active members of Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in Pasadena. They were avid bridge players, participating in several different clubs. Katherine was left a widow in 1980 when Chapin passed away. She found happiness again when she met Kem Bryan Robertson, a retired engineer. They married in Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in 1986 and established their residence in Pasadena. They combined their families for a total of five married children plus grandchildren. Together Katherine and Kem traveled to Europe, Alaska, Mexico, the National Parks of the western United States and to the various golf tournaments that Kem competed in. Kem passed away in 2005. With her understated East Texas charm, beautiful blue eyes that remained 20/20 throughout her long life, keen intellect, and an astute sense of business, Katherine was successful at just about whatever she set her mind to. Perhaps a good example is when, after taking up contesting on a fairly serious level, she entered a contest to name the two beaver mascots of Weir Homes, a home builder in Galveston. She named the beavers Sir Plans-a-Lot and Lady Win-a-Weir and wound up winning in 1958 the first-place prize of a beach house in Jamaica Beach, Galveston. She was a successful real estate agent and she owned and managed a variety of rental properties in Pasadena. She was known as Mama Kay to her grandchildren and great grandchildren, a name she selected for herself. She loved the time she shared with her family. For decades she was the matriarch of our family, a role and responsibility she accepted with grace and love, and she will be sorely missed. Katherine is survived by her daughter, Kay Y. Haslam and husband John, and her son, Herbert D. Yates and wife Gail, all of Houston; and the Robertsons of Huntsville, Alabama -- Kem B. Robertson, III and wife Nancy, Mike Robertson and wife Cathy, and Pat Robertson and wife Breann; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. The family expresses their heartfelt thanks to the staff of The Buckingham who took such wonderful care of her in her twilight years. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 18, 2018 in Glenwood Cemetery, The Rev. Jim McGill, officiating, Immediately following friends and family will gather for a reception at Waltrip Funeral Directors.

Waltrip Funeral Directors