Kathryn Ann "Katy" Wilson....Age 81

VISITATION: 1:00pm Sunday, July 17, 2016
Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home

(CASUAL ATTIRE)

CELEBRATION OF LIFE: Following visitation at 2:00pm


Committal of ashes will be at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Kansas.

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Kathryn Ann “Katy” Wilson age 81, of St. James City, Florida formerly of the Paola and Osawatomie, KS died on June 4, 2016 in Cape Coral, Florida.

Katy as she was known to everyone was born November 15, 1934 in Topeka, Kansas, the eldest of three children born to Clifford and Eunice Kaeckell. Katy grew up in Ottawa, Kansas with her three siblings, older half-brother Glenn and two younger siblings John and Karen.

While enjoying the summer at the local swimming pool Katy meet a young life-guard Danny Wilson. They soon became a couple and at the young age of sixteen, Katy and Daniel “Danny” Wilson eloped in 1951 and made their home in Ottawa. However Katy continued with her education and graduated from Ottawa High School with the class of 1952.Katy and Danny became the parents of three children: Debbie, Steve and Mike.

In the mid-fifties they moved to Paola, Kansas and by 1964 they became the owners of Pla-Mart a local dance venue for young and old alike. Friday nights were where the teenagers would go to dance to rock n roll, but on Saturday nights elegant ballroom music or country music was playing for many to enjoy and dance the night away and Katy loved to dance. Along with Pla-Mart they also owned the Paola Swimming pool and during the summer Katy was always in the “basket room” checking in and out all that came to enjoy the fun at the local pool. After a few years Katy and Danny also opened a BBQ restaurant in Paola, the “Pit BBQ” and for many years they ran all three businesses.

Katy loved her music, singing, playing the piano or the organ. She attended the Presbyterian Church in Paola and was a member of the Choir for many years.

However she was also a proficient swimmer. Her love of the water and the owner of the pool allowed her to teach swim classes for many years. She taught young and old alike from tiny tots to seniors in their eighties and loved every minute of doing it. She was in charge of the swim classes for the Lions Club and she taught the Jr. Life Saving Class whom some of her students also became life guards at the pool. She was known as “Leader” to pool bums.

By the early 80’s after thirty years, Katy’s marriage ended. She then set off on a new adventure and became the co-owner of the Fountain Club located at the Landmark Inn and Restaurant in Osawatomie, Kansas. A few years later she bought out her partner and she soon changed the name to K.T’s Lounge. It had become a hot spot for people to meet and have fun and Katy was such a wonderful fun loving person, she was a perfect match for the business. During this same time Katy co-owned “Pepper’s” a private club in Ottawa. When her partner in the business died she sold K.T.’s Lounge to close friends Alva and Steve Punshon in 2001 but continued to own and run” Pepper’s” for a few more years.

Katy and Stu Hood made their home in Osawatomie for many years until his passing in 2001. By 2006 Katy and her daughter Debbie lived in Gardner, Kansas to be close to Katy’s granddaughter Angi and great granddaughters Alexis and Abby. There they formed a bond that can never be broken. In 2014 they moved to Pine Island, and lived on a canal in St. James City, Florida. Jim Howard, a lifelong friend had shown them the island twenty years earlier and they had visited through the years. She loved the tropical atmosphere and became a weekly regular at the “Ragged Ass Saloon” with friends in the band and locals that brought much fun and affection. She kept playing her music on the keyboard and singing as long as she could. She lived with Alzheimer’s for many years.

It is easy to say Katy was loved by everyone, she was a mother, a grandmother, a teacher, and a mentor but most of all a true friend and the memories of her will never fade.

Katy was preceded in death by her parents and one brother Glenn Heinlein.

She is survived by her children: Debbie Pulliam of St. James City, FL, Mike (Carrie) Wilson of Richmond, MO, and Steve Wilson of LaCygne, KS, the father of her children Danny Wilson of Somerset, KS, brother John Kaeckell of Mission, KS, sister Karen (John) Brownell of Haines, FL, three grandchildren: Angi (Alan) Engle, Kyle Wilson, Mark (Debbie) Wilson and four great grandchildren, along with a life time of friends. Then there was Sam her constant companion the last fourteen years, a big beautiful cat who was her friend and escort. Katy will live on forever in our hearts, till we meet again.