Charles Whitman (center) with his mother, Margaret (left) and his wife, Kathy (right), on 26 November 1963, the date of his special court martial. (Photo courtesy of Nelson Leissner)
On August 1, 1966, the world heard Charles Whitman‘s gunshots as he shot and killed people he didn’t know from the top of the tower at UT Austin. It was the first mass shooting captured on television in the heart of a college campus and in full view of the Texas state capitol dome.
But before his public rampage, Whitman killed two women–family members–in the privacy of their own homes: his mother, Margaret, and his wife, Kathleen (“Kathy”). Kathy was 23 years old, a recent graduate of UT Austin, and a science teacher who had just completed her first year at Sidney Lanier High School.
For the first time in five decades, Kathy’s voice is now part of the historical record. My article, “Listening to Kathy,” includes exclusive primary documents and photographs never seen before. You can read and share the story at Catapult Magazine.
I would like to acknowledge Kathy’s friends and family, especially her brother, Nelson, for their trust and assistance. This story is a testament to their love for a young woman whose life and future was stolen from her in the most brutal way imaginable.
A big thank you also goes to my editors at Catapult, Mensah Demary and Yuka Igarashi, for recognizing that Kathy’s life should not be forgotten.
Very compelling intro to this biographic piece, Jo. Thank you for the invitation to subscribe. –Tina
I went to Lanier H.S. from 82-86 and Burnet Jr. H.S from 80-81. I did not realize the history of Burnet as the Original Lanier H.S. I had thought for many years that she was the Music teacher but now it makes more sense having read this article. The room that I think she may have used as her classroom was the typing room. The machines had a habit of shutting off and turning on by themselves and the room was always unearthly cold.
This week I heard an interview of Keith Maitland on Fresh Air. I was struck by how tragic I felt, because I usually went to the campus during that time, but I was home making arrangements for my wedding the next month.
What also hit me was so little mention of Whitman’s wife. I was in a class with her during the summer and we studied together nearly all summer. She was very sweet and it was an awful feeling to relive that experience. It is also sad because I no longer remember clearly how nice and friendly Kathleen was during those study sessions.
I knew Kathy; was working with her at Southwestern Bell that summer. Just days before the shooting, I sat with her in the lounge area. I don’t remember exactly what we were talking about, but she mentioned her husband. I believe we were talking about their future plans. She was a very nice woman, friendly and pretty. I was 18, she 23. I was working a split shift that day, perhaps the same one she was. I found out about the shootings as I sat at the Information Board that day. Then, left my shift around noon. Looked at the Tower which I could see from the telephone building. I saw the puffs of smoke coming from the Tower. When I returned to work that evening around 6:00, a friend of mine told me it was Kathy, it was her husband. Then we found out he had killed her and called our supervisor, Ms. Wynne, that morning to say she was ill.