Katherine W. Baxter
Born: September 25th, 1891
Died: August 20th, 1976
Obituary
Burlington’s first Postmistress died Friday.
Mrs. Katherine W. Baxter died Aug. 20, at age 84, in St. Francis Continuation Care Center. Her home was in Hotel Burlington.
Mrs. Baxter headed the Burlington post office from May 1, 1943, to April 30, 1954. In 1951, she was president of Iowa Postmasters Assn.
She was born Sept. 25, 1891, at Ainsworth, the daughter of Harry H. and Jane Crough Wickham. She graduated from the University of Chicago and, in 1919 and 1920, served with a research field representative of the Red Cross in France and Rumania. While in Rumania, she met Raymond W. Baxter; the couple was married in Chicago in 1920 and settled in Burlington that same year.
The Baxters became active in the Democratic party and Baxter was named postmaster, being succeeded by Mrs. Baxter when he entered government foreign relief service. He died Feb. 26, 1968.
Mrs. Baxter was First District Democratic committeewoman from 1936 to 1940, at which time she was also a member of the Iowa Democratic Central Committee.
She was a delegate to the 1940 Democratic National Convention.
Mrs. Baxter was a member of First Congregational church.
Surviving; Two sons, R. Wickham Baxter, Tokyo, Japan, and Harry Y. Baxter, Burlington; brother H.H. Wickham, Dunedin, Fla.; sister Helene Schoff, Mediapolis; and five grandchildren.
Funeral: First Congregational church at 1:30 pm. Monday, Rev. E William Strauser; Aspen Grove cemetery. A memorial fund has established at the church. The body is at Prugh’s chapel.