Katie Anayah Castleberry

Katie Castleberry fought her last battle against an infection that set in after undergoing open heart surgery as an inpatient at OU Children's Medical Center in Oklahoma City. She died three weeks later on February 1st, 2022 in the CICU with her parents by her side. She was 27 years old. Katie Anayah Castleberry was born on January 15, 1995 in Virginia Beach, Virginia to parents Rick and Mary Castleberry(nee Cwynar) and older brother Nathan and sisters Nicole, Colleen and Hannah. She was the older sister to brother Patrick and sister Teagan. Katie was not expected to survive birth, but on that Sunday morning she was welcomed alive into the world by her parents and one very excited Jewish doctor, who proclaimed, "she's a fighter!!". We praised God for answering our prayer for her to live. Katie was on a ventilator, and she spent the next three and half years living and growing into a young child at King's Daughter's Children's Hospital in Norfolk VA under the care of the heaven-sent Dr. Gerald Strope and his staff of nurses and technicians. Her mother and family spent most every day visiting and working with the hospital staff to ensure she would one day come home to the family. Still ventilator dependent, she came home after those initial years to live with her family and became an active part of the Diamond Springs Baptist Church family with pastor Warren Skinner cheering her on every step of the way. Over the years of her youth, she overcame one obstacle after another, off the ventilator at age 5 but still trached, open heart surgery twice at age 11, major back surgery at age 14 and finally the trach was removed by Dr. Robin Cotton at Cincinnati Children's Hospital at age 15. During those years she moved with her family to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2004. She believed on the Lord in 2007 and was baptized in obedience to faith by Pastor Rocky Harrell at Tulsa Baptist Temple. She was homeschooled through high school and graduated in 2013. She loved her family time and going to church. She loved the Lord and loved to sing praises to His name. She always enjoyed singing along with the church congregation and anything on the radio. She was an avid reader; her favorite book series was Divergent. She loved movies especially the Lord of The Ring Trilogy and Soul Surfer. She went on one mission trip with her church youth group led by youth Pastor Bill Lemons and his wife Brenda to Bemidji Minnesota to help a missionary with church planting and canvassing and reaching out to the youth at the local fair. She loved to play the piano and took lessons with Mrs. Janie Moss for ten years as a teenager and an adult. She loved riding in her family's ski boat in the summer and never missed a swim call. She was a homemaker with her mother and helped with daily chores around the house. She was a favorite aunt to her video game playing nephews as she was always willing to play the extra player they needed. She was a big time OU Sooner football fan and enjoyed watching the Sooners win. She loved family beach vacation trips to the Atlantic Ocean and road trips to visit her Nonie Victoria Cwynar in upstate NY, her Grandparents Dan and Beverly Castleberry in Catoosa OK, her Aunt Jana Castleberry in Washington D.C., her Uncle John and Aunt Dorentha Cwynar in Hornell NY and her Uncle Stan Cwynar in Phoenix AZ. She liked to ride shotgun with her sister Teagan to drive to Target and Starbucks or shopping at the mall. She was loved by many people and she lived and loved them back. She is preceded in death by her relatives; Nonie Victoria Cwynar, Great Grandparents Louis and Thelma Conner, Great Grandparents Ray and Lorna Castleberry, Great Uncle Dale and Aunt Sally Conner, Great Uncle Gary Conner, Great Uncle Bill and Aunt Rita Castleberry, Great Uncle Jerry Castleberry, Great Uncle Glen and Aunt Marylyn Castleberry, Cousin Terry Nelson. She is also preceded in death by pastor Warren Skinner, Missionary Bill Bradley and Mrs. Nancy Hebron. She is survived by her relatives; parents Rick and Mary Castleberry, brother Nathan Castleberry and wife Leanna Castleberry (nee Bilosoly), sister Nicole Tenney (nee Castleberry) and husband Jacob Tenney with daughter Bella, sister Colleen Lacy (nee Castleberry) and husband Cameron Lacy with sons Quinton, Oliver and Asher, sister Hannah Castleberry with son Landon, brother Patrick Castleberry USN ENS, sister Teagan Castleberry, Grandparents Dan and Beverly Castleberry, Uncle Stan Cwynar with sons Dean, Rory and Greg, Uncle John and Aunt Dorentha Cwynar, Uncle JD and Aunt Jana Whitten (nee Castleberry) and son Samuel, Great Aunt Gloria Castleberry, Great Aunt Darlene Castleberry, Great Aunt Anita Conner, Great Uncle Clint and Aunt Tammy Castleberry, cousins Steve and Angie Castleberry and grown children Zachary US Army, Macy and Connor US Army, cousins Dean and Linda Conner, cousins Wayne and Chris Conner, cousins Brian and Christa Castleberry, cousins David and Donna Jo Castleberry, cousins Mark and Kelly Castleberry and daughters Courtney, Brianna and Addison, cousin Sonja Nelson (nee Castleberry) and daughter Ashley Castleberry, cousin Rachel Conner. She is also survived by many friends, teachers, doctors, and caregivers; Mrs. Linda Skinner, David and Denise Sweede, Darrell and Nita Bohannon, Greg and Starr Archulet, Todd and Lisa Hanson, Mrs. Dot Bradley, James Hebron, Eddie and Karen Lee, Kevin and Paula Hafner, Mark and Marion Steika, Angie Chan, Dr. Gerald Strope, Dr. Matthew Kimberling, pastor Rocky Harrell and wife Julie Harrell, Bill and Brenda Lemons, Darron and Jamie Replogle, Andrew and Cara Moss, Mrs. Janie Moss, Stan and Sherrie Coppinger, friends at Journey Bible Church. The Funeral Service will be 10 am, Monday, February 7, 2022 at Moore's Southlawn Funeral Home. Interment following in Memorial Park Cemetery. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233

Katie Anayah Castleberry

January 15, 1995 - February 1, 2022