Katie (Westley) Outlaw

Katie Westley Outlaw, 94, formerly of Clifton, Texas, went home to be with the Lord on July 30, 2021, at Medical City Plaza Hospital in Ft. Worth.  Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 14, 2021, at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Clifton with Pastor R. Don Wright officiating.

Born Katie Marie Westley to Peter C. and Pauline Olson Westley on September 6, 1926, in Clifton, Katie was the youngest of nine children.  Her father made watches, clocks, cars, motorcycles, and also crafted violins, while her mother raised the children.  A strong work ethic was instilled in Katie at an early age.  Katie loved Clifton and held great pride in being a Cliftonite, a Texan, and an American.  She was very proud as well of her Norwegian heritage.  She was hardworking, practical, kind, and straightforward, with a strong sense of commitment when it came to faith, family, and community.  She was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clifton.

Katie graduated from Clifton High School in 1944, and the following week she went to work in Ft. Worth in a doctor’s office, taking the position held by her sister who had recently married and moved to California.  She rode the train from Clifton to Ft. Worth and returned to Clifton each weekend to assist at home while also attending business college.

She returned to Clifton permanently and on June 22, 1946, married Clyde Reuben Outlaw, a United States Marine who fought in the Fourth Marine Division on Iwo Jima.  Clyde worked in construction, while Katie worked as the business manager and tax assessor-collector in the Clifton Independent School District Tax Office.  They were active in the community through the Clifton Riding Club, Trinity Lutheran Church, and many community events involving their five children.  While she officially held the tax assessor position for thirty-seven years, she actually worked there for thirty-eight years, having worked the first year for free so she could secure the position.  She retired on June 30, 1989. 

Katie and Clyde had five children, Randy, Tim, Kim, Claude, and Tod, and as a result there was continual support of their children’s school as well as extracurricular activities.  They loved to travel with their children, visiting in-state and out-of-state relatives often, which included trips to the Texas coast as well as trips out west. After Clyde passed away in September of 1992, Katie remained very active in her children’s lives, and her children loved it.

Katie was preceded in death by her husband Clyde, her parents, her eight siblings, and her son-in-law, Larry Pullin.  She is survived by her children, daughter Randy Pullin of Walnut Springs, son Tim Outlaw and wife, Janet, of Midland, daughter Kim Cousins and husband, Gary, of Newark, son Claude Outlaw, and wife, Lisa, of Meridian, and son Tod Outlaw of Kapolei, Hawaii.  She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Clint Pullin, Chad Cousins, Jamie Outlaw Napolitano, Cody Pullin, Lesley Outlaw-Haas, Crystal Cousins Williams, Justin Outlaw, Betsy Outlaw, Rebecca Outlaw, and Andrew Outlaw, as well as thirteen great-grandchildren.

Honorary pallbearers will be Clint Pullin, Chad Cousins, Cody Pullin, Justin Outlaw, Andrew Outlaw, and Johnny Outlaw.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Glen Rose Medical Center and Medical City Plaza Hospital for their care in addressing Katie’s needs and would like to designate these two health care centers for memorials.

Her family greatly misses Katie’s strong, meaningful, and loving presence in their lives, looking forward to that future day when they will be reunited forever.

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