Katherine "KT" Whiteley

Katherine "Kt" W. Whiteley died Friday, March 15, 2024. She was born to Fred and Eugenia Wood in 1945 in San Bernadino Calif. She graduated from the Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in San Bernadino and attended the University of California at Berkley as an engineering student. She also attended the Idaho Peace Officer Training Academy in Meridian at the age of 51.

She worked for the San Bernadino Highway Department as an engineer, a dispatcher for the Latah County Sheriff, an interviewer for the Bureau of Census and was the chief of police for the City of Troy, for 20 years.

She married Charles "Chip" Whiteley in 1976. Her first husband, Robert Slack, died of cancer in 1974. She had four sons: Jefferson Slack, of Moscow, Michael Slack, of Deary, Robert Mathew Slack, of Lewiston, and Charles (Chas) Whiteley, of Troy. She has five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Kt enjoyed quilting and made baby blankets for every child born in Troy while she was chief of police. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, genealogy and reading. She authored the book John Henry Hayes, chronicling the life and service of Troy's first police chief who was also Idaho's first police officer killed in the line of duty.

Kt served as master for the Troy and Latah Pomona Granges and belonged to the Idaho State Grange. She served in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and was proud of her four Eagle Scout sons. She served with Palouse Clearwater Search and Rescue and both the Troy and Latah Historical Societies.

Kt is survived by her husband Chip at their family home, her four sons, five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, brothers Phillip and Michael of Texas and numerous cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents and sisters Dorothy and Francis.

She requested no service and a celebration of life will be announced in the near future.

The family suggests memorials be made to the Troy Historical Society or the Troy Ambulance.

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