Kathleen Kay

She was born on August 15, 1943 in Monroe, Louisiana to the late Dorothy Worley Kay and H.D. Kay, Jr. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Ronnie Kay, her son Paul Elkins, and her brother-in-law Carl Kennedy.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughters Kellie Vogt (Rudy), Valeri Pineo (Paul), and Holly Olsen; her beloved grandsons Rudy Vogt IV, Travis and Tyler Olsen, and Nathan Pineo; her sisters Dawn Shafer Kennedy and Marsha Kay Green (Heyward); her niece Julie Shafer McDonough (Casey), and her nephew Joe Shafer (Carmella).

Kathy was known to all as a vibrant, outspoken, independent, and fun-loving woman. Kathy worked in hospitality management in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, for more than 20 years, and was a part-time employee at Experience Works. She was a past president of the Review Club, was a former board member of the Temple Civic Theater and had served as president of the Temple Symphony Alliance. She was an active parishioner at Christ Episcopal Church in Temple, and served as a lay reader there.

Kathy worshipped her grandsons, and spoiled them mightily. She was an amazing cook, and her “Special” dinners often brought a bidding war at her church’s school fund-raisers. If you were lucky enough to find your feet under her table, she would always prepare your one favorite thing, and it would be served on a beautifully set table with cloth napkins. She had many other passions too, including SPORTS! She grew up in Troy, and was the captain of the Trojans basketball team at Troy High School, and was also a cheerleader. Her older brother Ronnie told her that he would not allow her to be a cheerleader if she didn’t understand the game of football, and she was an avid pupil. If you watched a game with her, there was no chit-chat allowed.She knew all the rules, and was a loud and active participant from the edge of her seat. She and her friends also had a successful fantasy football team for a number of years. If she wasn’t watching a game or entertaining her friends, then she was volunteering at Christ Episcopal Church or she was match-making, gardening, sewing costumes for a theater production, or researching her next great dinner menu.

A celebration of her life will be held this summer. Information will be forthcoming. Donations in her memory would be appreciated by her favorite charities, Feed My Sheep, The Un-Included Club, or Christ Episcopal Church.