Ida K. “Kathy” Coulton of North Wales, Pennsylvania, passed peacefully on May 17, 2018 at Pine Run Health Center, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She was 96.

Born in Coaldale, PA, she was the daughter of the late William and Anna Berger. Kathy had two brothers, George and Morris, and three sisters, Helen, Myrtle and Mary.

Her parents divorced in the mid-1920’s.  Her father worked in the coal mines and on the railroad. He heard about Tabor Home through the Lutheran Church and attempted enrolment of the family there. The boy’s dormitory was full so the boys were sent to live on a farm and the sisters, Helen and Myrtle, were admitted. Mary had previously passed. Kathy was only 5 years old in 1927 when she came to Tabor Home and Helen was only 3. Sister Lena, head matron at the Home became a mother figure to Kathy and although she was quite stern, a loving bond was soon developed. In 1938, Kathy was pulled out of the tenth grade and was sent to care for a 3 year old child for a couple in Narberth, PA. The parents were not very nice to her and after a year, she left and obtained a similar job in Jenkintown for Ralph Coleman, a famed illustrator and painter. The artist later painted a picture of Sister Lena and gifted the painting to Tabor Home in Kathy’s honor. It was while she was employed by Mr. Coleman, as a domestic, that the country girl met a boy from Brooklyn, Frederick Mohr, who soon became the “love of her life”. They later married.

In 1949, Kathy was in the hospital having her son, Ken, and met her roommate, LaVerne Coulton, who was having her daughter, LaVerne. The two became friends. LaVerne’s husband, George, was a World War II veteran and a railroad engineer. His wife was a homemaker. The Coultons lived in New Britain, PA. The couples soon became close. Later, Fred Mohr passed in September, 1974, LaVerne Coulton passed in December of the same year, and out of companionship, both Kathy and George started dating. It didn’t take long for a special love to blossom and in 1978, Kathy and George married.  Kathy and George remained married for 22 years and then George passed in February, 2000.  The family was heartbroken over these losses, but Kathy continued to bring joy and love to this family. She will be in our hearts forever and remember her ending to every phone call to say “love you”.

Kathy is survived by her four children, Fred Mohr (Violet), Allan Mohr (Ann), Ken Mohr (Jane) and Kathy. Kathy’s husband, Harry Shorday sadly passed very recently. She is also survived by Gary Coulton, Gregg Coulton (Susan) and LaVern Hammond (Jack). There are 14 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Monday, May 21, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. until her funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Joseph A. Fluehr Funeral Home, 241 East Butler Avenue (at Sandy Ridge Road), New Britain, PA, 18901. Her interment will follow at the Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler, PA.