Katie Belle (Brown) Preston

Katie Belle (Brown) Preston, 79, of Columbia, passed away Sunday, October 23, 2016, at her home. Katie was born June 28, 1937, in Clifton Hill, the twin daughter of the late Aubrey E. Brown and Mary Margaret (Asbel) Brown. Her twin, Nolie Nelle (Brown) Mayo, of Houston, Texas, survives. Katie married James O. Preston on August 30, 1958, in Clifton Hill. James survives at the home. She graduated from Clifton Hill High School, then earned a bachelor's degree in education and master's degree in music from Truman State University in Kirksville - formerly Northeast Missouri State University. Katie taught music in public schools in Bethel, Renick, Higbee, Huntsville, Lancaster, Kirksville, Rolla and Columbia for a total of more than 30 years. While in Columbia, she taught elementary music education at the University of Missouri. Katie also served as a minister of music and choir leader in numerous churches in every community where she lived. Most recently, she founded and directed the Sages Senior Adult Choir at Memorial Baptist Church in Columbia. In addition to her career as a music educator, she was active in the Jane Randolph Jefferson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she was currently president of the GFWC Tuesday Club is Columbia and was a trustee of The Baptist Home, and she volunteered monthly for the Shepherds Basket. In addition to her husband and twin sister, Katie is survived by a brother, Alquin Bragg Brown and his wife Erma of Lee's Summit; sisters-in-law, Pauline Brown of Clifton Hill, Betty 'O' of Huntsville, and Beth Brown of Columbia; two daughters, Kittie Lyn (Preston) Harden and her husband Gary of Blue Springs and Nola Sue (Preston) Gatewood and her husband Leo of Fayetteville, Ark.; son, James Orval Preston and his wife Rachael (Gibbons) of Jefferson City; grandchildren, James Preston of Shanghai, Katherine (Preston) Wilcox and her husband Andrew of Kansas City, Rebecca Preston of Kansas City, Aaron Gatewood and Lucy Gatewood of Fayetteville, William and Brock Harden of Blue Springs; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. In addition to her parents, Katie was preceded in death by her brothers, Charles A. Brown and his wife Betty, and Norvel Brown, both of Clifton Hill, and Forest Brown of Columbia; and her sister, Mary Lee Cochran and her husband Ralph of Jacksonville. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m., Friday, October 28, at Memorial Baptist Church, 1634 Paris Road, with memorial services following. Flowers can be sent to the church or contributions can be made to the Randy Schilb Choir Scholarship at Memorial Baptist Church. Online condolences can be made through Nilson Funeral Home's website, www.nilsonfuneralhome.com.