Korene Soter

Willie Korene Soter died suddenly on Thursday, December 1, 2016. Service: 10:00 am Saturday, Dec. 10th at The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. Burial: Rose Hill Cemetery. Visitation 4:00 - 6:00 pm Friday at the North May location of Smith and Kernke Funeral Home. Additional services in Fort Worth at Trinity Episcopal Church on Saturday, Dec. 17th. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests those wishing to honor Korene do so by donating to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 N.E. 13th Street, Okla. City, OK 73104 or to Trinity Habitat for Humanity, 9333 N. Normandale St., Fort Worth, TX 76116. Willie Korene Kirby was born on July 12, 1936 in Yowell, Texas to John Henry and Venetia Spradling Kirby. Rev. Kirby was a third generation Methodist minister who served many churches in southern Oklahoma and north Texas. Mrs. Kirby was a beloved schoolteacher who died when Korene was just six. Her aunt and namesake, Willie, and her grandmother, Mama Kirby, raised her until Rev. Kirby remarried. Korene graduated from Capitol Hill High School in 1953 and attended OCU. She worked for OG&E and Tenneco through the early 1960s. Korene and Louis James Soter were married by her father in 1964. It was a priority for Korene and Louie to raise their children in one place. Korene's family was her most treasured asset. She created a happy home and was involved in her children's lives. She served her community in many capacities including PTA, Camp Fire leader, voter registrar, church thrift shop manager, Bible study leader and many other church positions. She was a talented seamstress, cook and hostess.She had a great sense of humor and was the wizard of crosswords, Trivial Pursuit, and bridge. Korene moved to Fort Worth in 2008 to be closer to her daughter and quickly embraced her role as grandmother to her four grandchildren. She is our beloved mother, a natural grandma, and friend to many. She will be profoundly missed. Korene was preceded in death by her husband of 37 years, Louis. Survivors: She is survived by her children, Kelly Korene Soter-Gunn and husband, David, and Kevin Louis Soter and his wife, Tina; grandchildren, Helen and Ben Gunn and Helene and William Soter; and cousin Bobby Kirby and wife, Gloria and other cousins.