Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Witthauer of Shannon, Miss. announce the engagement of their daughter, Katherine, to Dr. William Madison (Hank) Murrah III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion L. Turnipseed of Clanton and William M. Murrah Jr. of Opp.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. Verna LaMunyon and the late Mr. Teddy M. LaMunyon, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Alfred A. Witthauer Jr. of Picayune, Miss.

She is an honors graduate of Tupelo High School and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mississippi State University. While at MSU, she was a member of Chi Omega Sorority, a student senator, and vice president of Psi Chi, the psychology honor society. She earned her master’s of education in educational psychology from the University of Virginia and was awarded the Samuel Marx Scholarship for outstanding work in science, professional and academic achievement in the Curry School of Education. She is a gifted education specialist at Clark Elementary School in Charlottesville, Va.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Mrs. Nell Woddail and the late Mr. Charlie Woddail of Camden, the late Mr. and Mrs. William Madison Murrah Sr. of Richland, Ga., and Mrs. Edith D. Turnipseed of Vestavia.

He is a graduate of Chilton County High School. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Montevallo. While at Montevallo, he was president of Delta Chi Fraternity. He earned his Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Virginia. While at UVA, he served as Education Council president and was inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society. He is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

The couple will exchange vows Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, at First Baptist Church, Shannon, Miss. A reception will follow at the Tupelo Automobile Museum.