Katherine Ruth (Redding) Drye

Katherine Ruth (Redding) Drye died peacefully after an extended illness on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Morningview Assisted Living Facility. Born the eighth and youngest child of James and Josephine (Taylor) Redding, Kathe rine will be lovingly remembered by family and friends as spirited, determined, bold, loving, a little mischievous, and devoted to going all out for family and friends – espe cially the young people she encountered. “Mother Drye” gave her life to Christ on September 17, 1976—the same day the con gregation of Greater Holy Temple COGIC marched from Burns St. to Napoleon St. into their new sanctuary under the direction of the late Supt. Leroy Sutton, Sr. and Church Mother Josephine Redding (her mother). She was determined to enter the new church saved and from that day forward, she served faithfully in numerous roles. She was Choir President and Director, a devoted Purity Leader, and a committed member of the Josephine Redding Helping Hands Committee. Her love for ministry extended to the Mother’s Board, Hospitality Committee, & as Co-Captain of Team #1. Furthermore, blessed with a beautiful voice, Mother Drye often accompanied worship services on both piano & organ, creating an atmosphere of praise that lifted hearts and stirred souls. The congregation always looked forward to her singing, particularly her signature song: “My Soul Has Been Anchored”. Graduating from South Bend Central High School in 1957, Katherine spent most of her working career at Associates Financial. After retiring, she worked several years as a paraprofessional in the South Bend Community School Corporation and ended her work career as a caregiver at Bentley House, a Logan Center facility. She was preceded in death by her parents, James W. Redding and Josephine (Taylor) Redding, and by six of her siblings, James, Marian (Moore), Ernest, Gerald, Helen (Carter) and Thomas; She is survived by a sister, Gertrude (Redding) Ewing and a host of nieces and nephews. Also left to mourn her loss are four godchildren: Carl Thomas, Howard Wynton Dukes, III, Daniel Cane, and Monica (Wallace) Buie. As a member of the Redding-Taylor family clan, Katherine leaves many other relatives and cousins who will miss her greatly.

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