Kathleen Marie Moreland

Kathleen Marie Moreland, age 60, of rural Osawatomie, Kansas died September 1, 2010 at her home after losing her battle with
cancer. She was the fourth of five children born to Floyd and Mary Elizabeth (Olsen) Lanham.
She was born August 13, 1950 at
Indianapolis, Indiana. She graduated from Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis with the Class of 1968.
After graduating, she had several clerical and secretarial positions in Indianapolis. She had worked at Crown, Screw, and Bolt and
also for the State of Indiana in the Motor Vehicle Department, OSHA, and the Unemployment Office in the Division of Employment
Security.
She was married to Donald Clyde Robertson in 1970. They became the parents of one son, Derek. Their marriage ended in
divorce.
She married Paul Vaneske in the late ‘70s. They made their home in Indianapolis. To this union three daughters were born Amy
Jo, Mary Alice, and Elizabeth Ann and Paul adopted her son Derek. They moved to Osawatomie, Kansas in 1986. Their marriage
ended in divorce in 1992.
Kathy worked at Walmart in Paola for several years. She had also worked at Corporate Woods. She began taking night classes at
Johnson County Community College to earn a college degree.
Kathy went to work at the Osawatomie State Hospital in February of 1990. She began there as a ward clerk in the Rush Building
and most recently had been promoted to administrative specialist in the Sedrick’s Building. Kathy built some very close friendships
with several co-workers in her 20 years working at the State Hospital. When weather permitted, Kathy could often be found walking
the campus during her 30 minute lunch break with Nancy, Vicky, or Linda. She enjoyed visiting with her friend DeDe about growing
flowers. She retired in October of 2009 due to her illness.
Kathy and Joe Moreland were married July 1, 1995 at the Methodist Church in Centerville, Iowa. They made their home in
Osawatomie.
Kathy loved her feline friends, traveling, going sailing in the Virgin Islands, Chesapeke Bay, and Key West, growing flowers, taking
long walks, collecting dolphin figurines, and especially enjoyed being with her precious grandchildren. They were the joy of her life
and also there were many others who called her “mom” and “grandma.” To this day, Kathy called a very dear and close friend of the
family’s, Carrie Kay (Shay) Thompson, her daughter and Kay’s children, Kayla and Alex her grandchildren. Additionally, Kay’s
husband Michael’s children Aaron, Jason, Travis, Stephen, and Hailey, were considered Kathy’s grandchildren.
Kathy was also such
an avid reader that oftentimes she could be found with her nose in a book during her break times at work or free time at home. She
was a very selfless, hard working, and giving person who considered a monthly manicure a grand treat to herself. She really liked
thunderstorms and lightening. She would often go out and sleep in their sunroom when it was storming.
One of her dreams did
come true when she was able, for the first time in her life, to purchase the car she wanted; not the one someone else selected for
her. She purchased a 1996 red mustang convertible a few years ago which was in mint condition. She loved that car. Her love of
cars also carried over to the joy she had attending the Indy 500 car races over the last several years. Each year, she would take one
of her children with her to the races. After four years of attending the Indy 500, having taken all four of her children, she decided to
take her very dear and close friend Jewel with her and rumor has it they had a ball.
Kathy was preceded in death by her grandparents Peter and Minnie Olsen and James and Daisy Lanham, her parents Floyd and
Mary Lanham, and two sisters Brenda Isles and Karen Brooks.
She is survived by her husband Joe of the home; her son Derek of Ft. Myers, Florida; her daughters Amy King of Osawatomie;
Mary Vaneske of Kansas City, Missouri; and Beth (Andy) Moffatt of Gardner, Kansas; her grandchildren Dallas King, Austin King,
Cameron Dilliner, Jake Mitchell, Dylan Miller, Preston Vaneske, and Hayden Moffatt; her two sisters Mary Ann (Loren) Beachy of Mt.
Pleasant, Iowa and Latrisha (Marc) Preston of Indianapolis, Indiana; her brother Ed Lanham of Ft. Myers, Florida; her step-mother
Vivian Lanham of Kirklin, Indiana; two step-children Jeff (Becca) Moreland of Palatka, Florida and Jennifer (Todd) Foster of
Centerville, Iowa; three step-grandchildren Meaghan and Ryan Foster and Ty Burgoon; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and
friends.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 4, 2010, at the Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home in Osawatomie.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and she will lie in state after 1 p.m. Friday. Burial will be in the Osawatomie Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Derek Vaneske, Austin King, Jake Mitchell, Andy Moffatt, Michael Thompson, Jeff Moreland, Dallas King, Dylan
Miller, Preston Vaneske, Cameron Dilliner, Hayden Moffatt, Kayla Shay, Alexis Shay, Hailey Thompson, Aaron Thompson, Travis Thompson, Jason Thompson, and Stephen Thompson.