Dr. Mary Kathryn
Coe Ph.D., aged 78, passed away on September 19, 2021 in Mesa,
Arizona. Kathryn was born at home on November
18, 1942, in Boulder City, NV. Her paternal grandfather, C.H.
Ellis, MD, delivered her at home with maternal grandmother Lizzie LouKate
Wilson Jackson RN, who assisted. Her father Percy Ellis Coe was
working as an engineer on the Boulder Dam project, and her
mother, Mary Ernest Jackson Coe, supported his efforts by creating a
loving home away from home during war time. Kathryn grew up in
Wellton, AZ as well as in Scottsdale, AZ. Attending both Antelope Union,
Camelback and Arcadia High Schools. She was the third
generation to study at Arizona State University, where she earned her
degree in English, with minors in philosophy and history, in 1965.
She married shortly after graduating and they lived
overseas and traveled the world. She had two children, Blair and
Trentham. Kathryn partook of many adventures, she studied at universities
in Colombia, Spain, and Ecuador. She studied Roman horseback riding with
the Ecuadorean military and traveled the Amazon River by dugout
with her children. She was always up for an adventure. After a divorce,
Kathryn returned to the United States with her children to
be close to family. Kathryn worked for the Heard Museum, The
Arizona Republic, COMPASS, The Arizona Health Department, and
Arizona State University. Undaunted as a single parent she
pursued her Ph.D. in Anthropology and Evolutionary Biology at Arizona
State. Her thesis was on the importance
of Ancestors, from her field research in the lowlands of Ecuador. Kathryn was
a professor at the Phoenix College, University of Missouri,
Colombia, University of Arizona, and Indianapolis University Purdue University
Indianapolis where she mentored many students in Anthropology and Public
Health. She published extensively, her CV is 24 pages long, and authored two
books, (The Ancestress Hypothesis and
another one due in March). She felt that teaching was a sacred contract with
her students and devoted as much time to them as she could. She was an
exceptional listener. Just before she retired, she met the love of her life, Al
Waitz, who cared and loved her as she so richly deserved. She and Al spent
their time at home in the foothills of Gold Canyon when they were not traveling
more of the world together.
Kathryn was a quiet yet fierce woman – holding fast to her beliefs, defending
those she loved, and always seeking to better herself and those
around her. She was an amazing listener and had immeasurable patience. She
was full of surprises and had a wide variety of talents. She loved her
family and enjoyed her close relationship with her sister, Anne Coe. Her
children and grandchildren were her greatest love, and they were extremely
fortunate to have her as their mother and grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Percy and Mary
Coe, and her brother Jack Coe. She is survived by her loving husband,
Al Waitz, her sister, Anne Coe, her daughter Blair Coe Schweiger, her son,
Trentham Coe, her son-in-law Christoph Schweiger and her grandchildren Samuel
Coe, Jacob Coe, and Josef Schweiger as well as by her cousins Judi
Adams, Bill Adams, Kim Evangelist, and Dakota Adams. She is also survived by
the students she so faithfully served over her years
of teaching; they were family too.
- Testimonial written by Blair Coe
Schweiger
