Katherine Elizabeth McLean Dibble

Katherine Dibble passed quietly at home, Sunday, December 11, 2022, at the age of 93.

Katherine was born June 3, 1929, to Alexander White McLean and Florence Iola Bentley McLean in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She spent her youth growing up in Carr, Colorado and Sharon Springs, Kansas. She graduated high school in Sharon Springs. She proceeded to attend the University of Kansas and received her BS in Nursing. Later, she attained two Master’s Degrees. The first in Education, from East Tennessee State University and the second in Nursing from the University of Virginia. She spent her early years in nursing and education in NW Kansas where she met her husband Terry Dibble at Hays, Kansas. They spent several years in Kansas, moved briefly to Ashland, Ohio followed by moves back to Kansas, onto Missouri and Nebraska before arriving in Johnson City, Tennessee, where she spent the remainder of her life.

Mrs. Dibble spent her life teaching and nurturing relationships with family, students, and friends who crossed her path. She taught at Bryan Memorial in Lincoln, Nebraska and both East Tennessee State University and Milligan College in their Baccalaureate nursing programs. After retirement she continued to serve the community as an Ombudsman and spent many hours visiting with home bound friends and neighbors. She enjoyed painting, crosswords and participating in the Carter County Chapter of Family & Consumer Education, lunches with friends at Aunt B’s and The Coffee Company, watching the deer and birds from her windows, her coffee and chocolate. She was a doting grandmother and great grandmother.

She was preceded in death by husband, Terry J Dibble; brother, Donald J (Estella) McLean; brothers-in-law, Danny Dibble, Joe (Fran) Dibble, Delbert Moore, Tom Nelson; sister-in-law, Carolyn Dibble; son-in law, Leroy Garland; great niece, Kelsey McLean along with best friend, Joyce Patton.

She leaves behind one daughter, Sheryl Garland; granddaughter, Heather (Chris) Smith; grandson, Stephan Phipps & Shelly Laws, Jessica Phipps; grandson, Correy Garland; great grandchildren, Palmer and Piper Smith, Aiden Phipps, Jaxson and Joey Laws, Hailie Krivdo, Mason and Caleb Jones; sister-in-law Jane Moore; nephews Alex and Eric McLean, Darin and Dorin Nelson, Sean Dibble; niece Daphne Dibble Wright and family friend Robyn Greene.

She was a member of Hopwood Christian Church, Milligan College. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Donations can be made to Hopwood Christian Church Building Fund, PO Box 149, Milligan College, TN 37682. A memorial service will be held January 21, 2023 at Hopwood Christian Church. Mrs. Dibble made an anatomical donation to Quillen College of Medicine.

We would like to thank Hospice of Kingsport along with caregivers Helen and Kathleen for the outstanding care they provided.