Katherine Virginia (Panico) Allison

Katherine Virginia Panico Allison, of Sarasota, FL, formerly of Killbuck, died peacefully on October 20, 2022, a day after her 100th birthday, at Kobacker House Hospice in Columbus.

Katherine was born in Wheeling, West Virginia on October 19, 1922, daughter of the late Dominic and Flora Maltese Panico. She graduated from Wheeling High School, and from West Liberty State College with a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate, and where she met her future husband, Virgil Allison, whom she married in 1946.

They followed his coaching career through Morgantown, WV, and Greensburg, PA making their way in 1954 to Killbuck, Ohio where she began her 25-year teaching career. At Killbuck High School, she taught Business Education along with P.E. and Health. At West Holmes High School, she taught Business Education. Later in life when asked, “what did you teach?” she would respond with a humorous remark, “a language that isn’t taught anymore . . . shorthand!” At West Holmes, Katherine was perhaps best known for her role as Yearbook Advisor. Her children remember the entire dining room of their home being taken over with yearbook layouts and students filing in and out to help their mom produce a splendid yearbook year after year highlighted with characters from “Peanuts”, licensed by Charles Schultz. She retired in 1979 and moved to Sarasota, FL. Katherine and Virgil experienced many years traveling the globe, several times hosting “People to People Student Ambassador” youth tours and especially enjoying the visits to the places where Virgil served in the Army. She became an avid quilter making sure that each family member received a specially designed quilt and often more than one! For her 100th birthday, she was delighted and honored to receive many cards from friends and former students who referred to her as a special person, a role model and as a favorite teacher. Others remarked that they still remember the “home keys” from typing class.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Virgil Lorraine Allison and sister Norma Panico Bopp. Katherine is survived by her two children Christine Flora Allison DeVeau (Ken); Mark Garry Allison (Chic); seven grandchildren: Naome Allison, Lucas Allison (Kristi), Amos Allison (Kelsey), Elizabeth Drake (Cory), Vanessa DeVeau Bachle (Chris), Camila DeVeau-Biter (Steven), and Zachariah DeVeau (Katie); and ten great-grandchildren: Chloe Allison, Tanner Allison, Jonah Polomik, Reagan Biter, Daniel Biter, Barrett DeVeau, Finley DeVeau, Kai Bachle, Dax Bachle, and Nash Bachle.

Friends will be received on Saturday, October 29 at Alexander Funeral Home, 8612 Ohio 39, Millersburg, Ohio 44654 with calling hours from 10:00 – 12:00, funeral service at 12:00 at the funeral home, and graveside burial at Killbuck Cemetery immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Kobacker House via OhioHealth Foundation, 3430 OhioHealth Parkway, Fl. 3, Columbus, OH 43202. Online contributions can be made at foundation.ohiohealth.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.