Katherine “Katie” Markee
Purdue University Libraries
July 1, 1968-June 30, 2011
Katie came to Purdue University Libraries in 1968 as a reference librarian in the General Library (HSSE) and retired as the Oral History Librarian in 2011. She served in a variety of roles throughout her Libraries career including 30 years as chair of the Libraries Special Events Committee. Katie always enjoyed celebrating Libraries staff members’ achievements. She was known for her notes of encouragement, thank yous, birthday wishes and best wishes and on very special occasions you might have been the recipient of a small token of her appreciation or a small gift to commemorate an important event in your life. She was always thinking about others.
Katie enjoyed sharing Purdue history and especially Libraries history with everyone. She always had a great story to share about a former colleague and enjoyed bragging about how the Libraries continued to grow and challenge itself and the educational community to learn and discover new ways for Libraries to be more involved with the education of its patrons. She felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview hundreds of Purdue leaders, alumni, students, faculty, retirees and administrators, capturing the growth, changes and history associated with Purdue.
There was no doubt; she loved Purdue football, hosting many tailgate activities and attending all but a handful of games over the years. Katie could be seen at many community and University events and volunteering her time at most of them.
Her dedication to her profession, friends and family will always be present in the history of Purdue Libraries and most assuredly felt in our hearts.
Remembering Katie
Soon after my arrival at Purdue, Katie invited me to have tea with her using the John Purdue china. I will never forget the graciousness she exhibited at that time. I would also like to add a second memory, and that was when I asked her to become the Oral History Librarian. Knowing that we were in jeopardy of missing the opportunity to record the important experience and knowledge of Purdue by many of its senior community members, I asked her to consider becoming the Oral History Librarian. She thought about it for a few minutes, and then said, “Of course, I will do it.” I think we can all agree, this became her mission, and to her we owe a remarkable debt of gratitude for an archive of Purdue experience and history that would otherwise have been lost. – Jim Mullins
I just want to share that Katie took the time to welcome me to the Libraries when I first started here. We would periodically go to lunch at Baker’s Peak and enjoy conversation about the oral history work she was doing. And, I was always touched when I received a personal card or note at my home where Katie would be acknowledging my husband’s promotions or new position within the banking community. Most touching was a card she sent to us upon my sister-in-laws passing. She was special in that way. – Sandy Howarth
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It will be different for me walking into work each morning without Katie. We often met in the parking garage and had simple but enjoyable morning chats about the weather, upcoming events and everyday life. We always parted with a wish for a good day and a “Boiler Up.” Thank you Katie for your caring and devotion to the Libraries staff and the Purdue community. – Teresa Brown
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Katie took me out to lunch during my first week at Purdue. I was touched by the kind gesture. She picked Jake’s Roadhouse, which I thought was pretty surprising . . . and fantastic! She sent several kind notes my way over the years. I so appreciated her thoughtfulness. – Catherine Fraser Riehle
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I remember in the late 1970s when Katie Markee was the most experienced database searcher in the Purdue Libraries having had three weeks of training in the MEDLARS/MEDLINE databases from the National Library of Medicine, as well as extensive experience with other BRS, DIALOG, and DATASTAR databases. At that time she was providing tailored online searching to most of the research faculty on campus. Yet as microcomputers became commonplace, she always had time to help newer librarians improve their searching and marketing skills as online searching was becoming a ubiquitous Libraries service.
I also remember the care that Katie took in recognizing every retiree from the Purdue Libraries, even those who preferred no party. She would be sure that they were at least taken to lunch, received some flowers or a special gift. Her warmth and caring for all of her colleagues is remembered by all! – Gretchen Stephens
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I’ll always be grateful for Katie Markee taking me under her wing, teaching me the ins and outs of DIALOG searching. When I got here in 1984, Katie was running CBIS, a charge-back service for searching. The Math Sciences Library had just got a PC (dual floppy drives, 8086 processor, 1200 baud modem), and in addition to creating a computerized scheduler for student workers, I was given an account to do searching. I hadn’t told Richard Funkhouser at the time, but I nearly flunked DIALOG searching in library school the year before because I had exceeded the budget we were given for a capstone project.
I did tell Katie, and she showed me the ropes and got me into classes in Indy and Chicago. I recall fondly one Indy road trip in particular where Katie was driving — she went north on River Rd to get to I-65 to go south. I remember thinking at the time that it was a little out of the way, but Nancy Garman and Judy Pask had brought donuts and coffee, so it gave us more time to enjoy our breakfast in the car. Oh, and we had lunch at the Eagle’s Nest at the Hyatt (my first and only time).
Katie was a great teacher, though I can’t vouch for how good a student I was. However, there was a reason I helped write a successful proposal for the Libraries to buy the first CD ROM tower for databases in 1988 — no more per minute charges! – D. Scott Brandt
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I have many memories of Katie, all such positive ones . . . her enthusiasm, her caring, the ever ready smile and greeting wherever you saw her. One of the things that sticks uppermost in my mind was the numerous cards I received from her through the years, some sympathy (always with a heartfelt note), some congratulatory and those “just because” she thought about you and took the time to send one; like the time I transferred from Life Sciences to Chemistry and she sent a note wishing me well. The other thing that brings a smile was her enthusiasm for all of the library gatherings and her work to ensure they were successful. “Back in the day” we did not have specific committees in charge of various events and it was always Katie who was at the forefront picking up food, helping set it out, assisting in clean up. She did it because she loved Purdue, she loved the Libraries and she loved us. – Sharon Sturgeon
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Katie Markee was one of the most helpful and supportive colleagues at Purdue. When I first came, some 30 years ago, Katie was the Electronic Search Librarian. She had done all the online searches of Dialog and BRS for all the faculty on campus for years, but by the time I got here, many subject librarians were sharing in the huge task of doing all these searches. Katie was training us! She took us to numerous training sessions in Indy, always doing the driving and picking us up at our homes early in the morning. She liked to take 52 instead of 65! What fun we had. Then when the CFS Library got Medline on CD ROM, she came over several times each week to give one-on-one assistance to all the Food and Nutrition students who were learning to do their own searches. What a godsend she was to me and all those students who could now search Medline FREE. My memory of Katie is that she was always there ready to help. No wonder she was so well known and appreciated by the research faculty and librarian colleagues on campus. She always was a role model for us all. – Judy Nixon
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Katie was known for sending cards to colleagues to celebrate special events, during times when encouragement was needed, holidays, etc. The last card I received from her had a packet of flower seeds in it. She told me to let her know when they were blooming and she would come by to see them. She didn’t get to see them bloom, but I will think of her every time I look at them. She lived her life in a way that cultivated friendships and her work in the Purdue Libraries is a legacy that will continue to blossom. RIP Katie. – Mary Sego
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I found that Katie knew more about the Purdue Libraries than anyone here on staff. She told me many stories about Purdue and Amelia Earhart. She could make you think that she and Amelia were close friends. In a way I think they were. – Dale White
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When I started working at Purdue, Katie was the first person outside the search committee to step forward and welcome me to Purdue Libraries. I expect that was true for a lot of us and it was kind gesture that helped me feel more comfortable in a new environment. I’m sorry future new hires will miss that welcome, but maybe the rest of us will be reminded to help fill the gap. – Patty Glasson
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I will always remember Katie as a gentle, very social lady. She could be quite frank, in a good-humored way, because she was unfailingly kind to other people. She placed great value on people and good relationships. – Larry Mykytiuk
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Whenever I was in Katie’s company, it was always a delightful experience. I especially enjoyed our holiday cards and always found her graciousness and energy a wonderment. I can still see her walking briskly, and with so much energy, she will be truly missed. – Jean-Pierre V.M. Hérubel
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I have so many fond memories of Katie that it is hard to pick just one — my first day of work she brought me a cup of coffee and sat down with me to welcome me to the Libraries. She was always doing generous things like that to make people feel special — sending little cards, cutting out clippings of the newspaper and sharing them with people, bringing back souvenirs from trips. She was very proud of the Amelia Earhart collection and loved talking with people about it. When she spoke to students, she would tell them about Amelia’s love for Snickers bars. I never found out where that information came from, but it delighted the students. I think, though, the memory that stands out most in my mind is riding on the Boilermaker Special with Katie after she retired. None of us could believe she’d never ridden on it, as she was such a huge Purdue fan and the resident expert on Boilermaker history. We rode the train all over town and then went to Bruno’s for dinner. It was really cold that night, but she seemed so happy to have that experience, and I’d like to remember her like that, with a grin on her face, saying her favorite phrase, “Boiler Up.” – Sammie Morris
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When I first came to Purdue Katie and I were situated in the same office area. Everyday I’d find goodies on my desk from Katie — tomatoes from her garden, candy, or fliers for events she thought I’d be interested in. She was a huge part in my positive transition to life at Purdue. I’ll remember her for her love of all things Purdue, her fashion sense, but mostly for her sweet nature. Boiler Up! – Carly Dearborn
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Katie sure did have a gift of putting others at ease. I will miss lunching with her and going on small excursions around campus together. She was easy to talk to and fun to be with and I admired her positive spirit. Boiler Up and HIGH FIVE, Katie. It’s not the same around here without you. – Stephanie Schmitz
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Sometime during the many years that Katie and I worked in Purdue Libraries, we discovered that our birthdays fell in the same month. From then on, we wished each other “happy birthday” every year without fail. About five years ago, when Katie learned that I had never eaten at Triple XXX, one of her favorite lunch spots, we began a tradition of birthday lunches there. We never exchanged gifts, but part of our tradition, suggested by Katie, was that she always paid for my lunch and I paid for hers. We had our 2014 birthday lunch recently and she surprised me with the gift of a lovely music box from the collection she and Jim Barany had acquired over many years. Katie was a Purdue booster through and through, and the Libraries and its people were close to her heart. She was a colleague and a friend, and one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I have ever known. I will miss her. – Nancy Hewison |