Big Nose Kate, born Mary Katherine Horony, eventually died of natural causes on November 2, 1940, at the age of 90.
Mary Katherine Horony, better known as Big Nose Kate, was a Hungarian-born prostitute and longtime companion of the famous Old West gunfighter Doc Holliday. After Doc Holliday’s death in 1887, Kate’s life took various turns. She worked in different professions, including as a housekeeper and a nurse. Kate eventually settled in Arizona, where she lived quietly for many years.
In her later years, she lived in the Arizona Pioneers’ Home, a state-funded home for indigent miners and pioneers in Prescott, Arizona. Despite her colorful past and association with one of the Wild West’s most notorious figures, Kate’s final years were relatively serene. She became a Roman Catholic and claimed to have been married to Holliday shortly before his death, although there is no conclusive evidence to support this.
Kate’s legacy lives on in the lore of the American West, where she is often remembered for her sharp wit, strong personality, and her role in the events surrounding the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Her life has been depicted in various books, movies, and television shows, cementing her place as a notable figure in the history of the American frontier.