Dr. Katherine Blacklock (Kate) passed away unexpectedly on November 12, 2019.  Kate was born on April 3, 1951.

Kate is preceded in death by her parents, Thomas A. Blacklock and Marguerite Simms-Blacklock, and her brother, Thomas G. Blacklock.

Kate is survived by her loving husband Norbert Paredes, (Bert) and has resided in Littleton, CO for over 30 years.  Family was near and dear to Kate's heart as she was our Matriarch.   Our loss is deep and our grief enduring.  Kate's other surviving family members are her two Nieces, Kelly Bereyso (Blacklock), and her Husband Oz Akdeniz of Wildwood, MO and Kelley Sobell and her Husband, Steve Sobell of Charlottesville, VA.  Great Nieces Erin Bereyso (Travis) and Ereca Alford; Great Nephews, Corey Sobell and Sam Sobell.  Great/Great Niece Addison Alford and Great/Great Nephews Aiden and Julian Alford.

From a young age, Dr. Blacklock was driven to academia.  Kate was the first woman to obtain a PhD in Physics at the University of Missouri-Columbia, her Father's Alma Mater. Prior to receiving her PhD, Kate attended Drury University where she received her BS and MS in Physics, graduating Summa cum Laude with Departmental Distinction.  Kate published extensively in the field of Physics and Astronautics over the years.

Quilting was Kate's hobby.  She was a member of Fire House Quilts, a Non-Profit Organization that comes together monthly to make quilts.  These quilts are kept on the Fire Trucks in the Colorado Front Range to be given to victims of fire and other natural disasters.

In addition to Kate's volunteering, she made quilts for everyone she loved.  If you have a quilt that Kate made, you can rest assured she cared deeply for you and made it with love and care.

Kate and Bert loved to travel the world and incorporated their love for Genealogy throughout their global travels.  Kate's Scottish ancestry has been traced back to the 1700s and was a true passion for her.

Visitation Services will be at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home in Springfield, MO on November 24, 2019 at 11 a.m. A Graveside service will follow on November 25, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Hazelwood Cemetery in Springfield, MO.

In lieu of Flowers, please donate to:  Fire House Quilts of CO, Inc, c/o Jacque Schneider, 10862 Sunshine Drive, Littleton, CO 80125 www.firehousequilts.com