Dr. Austin Ketcher

© Tahlequah Daily Press Tahlequah, Oklahoma September 26, 2011

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

TAHLEQUAH — Services for Dr. Austin Ketcher will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 26, 2011, at the Hart Funeral Chapel, with Samuel Austin Ketcher officiating. Interment will follow in the Tahlequah City Cemetery under the direction of Hart Funeral Home in Tahlequah. Sign the online guestbook at http://www.hartfuneralhome.net/.

Dr. Austin Ketcher, the son of Robert E. Lee and Marvie Ellen (Brock) Ketcher, was born Oct. 7, 1929 in Pensacola, and grew up in the Peavine Community north of Stilwell.

He married Nadine Carter on Jan. 31, 1953. He departed this life on Sept. 21, 2011, in Tahlequah, at the age of 81 years, 11 months and 14 days.

Austin graduated high school at Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kan., in 1946. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern State College in 1952, a Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University in 1958, and a Doctorate of Education degree from OSU in 1982.

In 1948, at the age of 18, Austin began his 39-year teaching career at Pilgrim's Rest in Adair County. He taught at East and West Peavine in Adair County, and served as principal at East Peavine.

Later, he taught at Stilwell High School and Broken Arrow High School.

In 1965, Austin moved his family to Tahlequah to teach at Northeastern State University. He spent 23-1/2 years as a chemistry professor at NSU, retiring in January 1988.

During his tenure at NSU, Austin was one of 30 professors chosen nationwide to participate in the 11th annual Summer Institute at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, a Department of Energy research center.

The program was designed to better the quality of minority science education.

He did research in the field of analytical chemistry.

Proud of his Cherokee heritage, Austin was actively involved in tribal affairs. He was a longtime member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees, serving as UKB secretary, UKB treasurer, and chairman of the UKB Enterprises Board. He also served on the UKB Housing Authority, Gaming Board, Election Committee, and the Budget and Finance board.

Austin was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Lennie Conley and Patsy Ketcher; and his brother, Bill Ketcher.

He is survived by a loving family which includes his wife of over 58 years Nadine Ketcher; his daughters, Valerie Zellner and husband Richard of Tahlequah, Natalie Batt of Tahlequah, Suzanne Miller and husband Russ of St. Louis, Mo., and Melissa Parnell and husband James of Fort Gibson; his sisters, Lee Alma "Siso" Gillum of Bixby and Pixie Cain and husband Andrew of Stilwell; his grandchildren, Sarah Batt-Martin, Justin Batt, Lesley Presley, Amanda Zellner, Brandon Zellner, Rachel Miller, Austin Miller, Cale Parnell and Kirby Parnell; and his great-grandchildren Gracie Presley and Carter Presley; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Renie Guinn, Madeline Price, Lloyd and Martha Carter, Forest and Euna Fern Carter, and Hildegarde Carter. Many nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives also survive him.

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