Katherine C. Cranstoun (Weiger)

Katherine H. Chapman, born November 30, 1923, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, passed away March 19, 2009, at the age of 85 in Prescott, Arizona.  Katherine was born to Arthur and Beatrice Chapman in Wisconsin, and moved east to New Jersey when her father's career led him to New York City. Katherine graduated from Mt. Vernon Seminary in Washington, D.C. She raised her family of four boys, Arthur, Douglas, Derek and William, in Summit, Jew Jersey with her husband, William Cranstoun. During this period, she began her creative career in arts and crafts and blossomed into a world-renown oil painting artist, as well as being known for other creative craft skills. Katherine has had major art show in Kuwait, New Your City, Drew University in New Jersey, Phoenix, Prescott and Verde Valley. Other specialties include creating miniature furniture rooms, miniature furniture lamps, decoupage desk items, wall tapestries and large 4 ft. by 6 ft.decorative area rugs. As her family grew with spouses and grandchildren, her needlepoint and knitting centered on creating needlepoint artistic marriage canvases for each couple, later adding birth certificates with animals, toys and statistics to decorate each of her grandchildren's arrival. In December 1971, Katherine married Ralph J. Weiger in New Jersey, a successful businessperson who had three chidlren, Lucy, Barbara and Jimmy. So they had a total of seven children, that later led to a combined total of 20 grandchildren. During these 38 years Kay and Ralph led a very adventuresome international travel schedule on business and pleasure, including living in Kuwait for three years, starting in 1979. Kay loved it and created an expatriate art class to teach oil painting and creating miniature furniture items 1/12 scale to other ladies. They both have been very active in charity work and in New Jersey Kay tutored a blind lady to learn to "feel the art item." She belonged to the Summit Art Association for over 25 years. Sixteen years ago, in 1993, they moved to Prescott, AZ and designed a home on top of the hill. Katherine continued her arts and craft projects that now include itmes for her eight great-grandchildren, plus the 20 grandchildren. Other Arizona projects include a special Arabian horse oil painting that she created and donated to the Mayo Clinic's Arizona Transplant House Foundation, and a series of angel paintings for friends. In 1999, Kay and her husband Ralph donated a classic nine ft. Steinway Grand Piano to the Yavapai College Foundations for use in the Performance Hall, in honor of their respective parents. Kay has been a member of PFAA and other art groups in this area. Katherine is survived by her sister, Eleanor of Dewey, Ralph Weiger, of Prescott; and children, Arthur of Dewey, Douglas of Norwood, Colorado, Derek (Karen) of Columbus, Ohio, William (Ava) of Sacramento, California, Lucy (Bob) of Sonoma, CA, Barbara (Mike) of Denver, CO and Jimmy (Pam) of North Kingston, Rhode Island. We love you, Katherine, and will really, really miss you. Love, all of your extended family.