IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Kathryn
Wermers
June 26, 1938 – February 27, 2015
Obituary
Kathryn "Kay" Wermers, 76 of Spearfish, passed away February 27, 2015 at Rapid City Regional Hospital with family by her side. Her unexpected death was a tremendous shock to her family and all her many friends.
Kay's life journey started on June 26, 1938 in Deadwood SD. She was the first born daughter to John and Edith (Egidi) Harkness. During her early childhood years she grew up in Central City SD along with her two siblings, Joyce and Gary Harkness. She attended grade school in Central City then Jr./High School at St. Patrick's Catholic High School in Lead SD.
After graduation, Kay enrolled at Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Yankton SD, then later returned home and was employed at the Homestake Hospital in Lead as a nurse's aid. Eventually she was trained on the job to be an X-ray technician and continued to work in that field the rest of her career. She loved her job and she remained employed at the Homestake Hospital for 30 years.
She married Marvin Wermers on June 25, 1960, and to this union they were blessed with two daughters, Marva and Rhonda.
Kay had a zest for life and a love for people. Everyone she met she could with ease start up a conversation and continue to visit about anything and everything! Her family and friends always said she never met a stranger!
She could be tough and feisty which enabled her to be a strong and effective advocate for her daughter, Marva. She had the ability to assertively tell people what they didn't want to hear, but by having that strength and courage to speak her mind positive changes always evolved. She was a "mother bear" to her other daughter Rhonda and her two grandchildren, Logan and Kaitlyn. Nobody messed with them, she always went to bat for them, and they never went without, she made sure of that! Taking care of her children and husband was important to her, and family was her number one priority, that is her legacy. She had a lovely home which she kept immaculate, and her appearance was always crisp and meticulous, especially her hair! Her sister Joyce learned at an early age you never messed with Kay's hair!
Kay volunteered many hours for numerous years with the Special Olympics, and she also helped at the many fund-raising events for the Northern Hills Training Center. After she retired from the Homestake Hospital, she kept herself busy with part time work at Phoebe's Closet clothing store, and later after moving from Lead to Spearfish she worked at Spearfish Clothiers.
Her favorite past times were playing slot machines in Deadwood and having lunch dates with her two best friends, LeAnn Sargent and Carol Holso. Their special bond stretched decades clear back to grade school when they gave her the nick name, "Kay Lou".
She loved her two grandchildren, Logan and "Katie" with a passion. They called her "Nanny Kay" and she was so very proud of them and all their accomplishments. She willingly displayed their sports stickers on the windows of her car for all to see, and took them shopping where she would spoil them to pieces!
Kay loved to stay active and was constantly on the go, but there was one thing that would stop her in her tracks and make her hunker down in her home...a snowflake! She would not venture out if there was the slightest possibility of a skiff of snow.
Kay is survived by her husband Marvin Wermers, Spearfish SD; two daughters, Marva Wermers of Spearfish SD and Rhonda (David) Sulentic of Deadwood SD; grandchildren, Logan and Kaitlyn Sulentic; her siblings, Joyce Harkness and long term friend LaDonna Zall of Ralston, Wyoming, and brother, Gary (Donna) Harkness of Big Timber, Montana. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Edith Harkness; step-father, Walt Schloredt and her granddaughter, Angel Sulentic.
Vigil services will be held at 6:00pm, Thursday, March 5, 2015 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lead. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Vigil. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, March 6, 2015 at the church. Burial will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to benefit Connections at Northern Hills Training Center.
Arrangements are under the care of the Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel in Lead.
Kay's life journey started on June 26, 1938 in Deadwood SD. She was the first born daughter to John and Edith (Egidi) Harkness. During her early childhood years she grew up in Central City SD along with her two siblings, Joyce and Gary Harkness. She attended grade school in Central City then Jr./High School at St. Patrick's Catholic High School in Lead SD.
After graduation, Kay enrolled at Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Yankton SD, then later returned home and was employed at the Homestake Hospital in Lead as a nurse's aid. Eventually she was trained on the job to be an X-ray technician and continued to work in that field the rest of her career. She loved her job and she remained employed at the Homestake Hospital for 30 years.
She married Marvin Wermers on June 25, 1960, and to this union they were blessed with two daughters, Marva and Rhonda.
Kay had a zest for life and a love for people. Everyone she met she could with ease start up a conversation and continue to visit about anything and everything! Her family and friends always said she never met a stranger!
She could be tough and feisty which enabled her to be a strong and effective advocate for her daughter, Marva. She had the ability to assertively tell people what they didn't want to hear, but by having that strength and courage to speak her mind positive changes always evolved. She was a "mother bear" to her other daughter Rhonda and her two grandchildren, Logan and Kaitlyn. Nobody messed with them, she always went to bat for them, and they never went without, she made sure of that! Taking care of her children and husband was important to her, and family was her number one priority, that is her legacy. She had a lovely home which she kept immaculate, and her appearance was always crisp and meticulous, especially her hair! Her sister Joyce learned at an early age you never messed with Kay's hair!
Kay volunteered many hours for numerous years with the Special Olympics, and she also helped at the many fund-raising events for the Northern Hills Training Center. After she retired from the Homestake Hospital, she kept herself busy with part time work at Phoebe's Closet clothing store, and later after moving from Lead to Spearfish she worked at Spearfish Clothiers.
Her favorite past times were playing slot machines in Deadwood and having lunch dates with her two best friends, LeAnn Sargent and Carol Holso. Their special bond stretched decades clear back to grade school when they gave her the nick name, "Kay Lou".
She loved her two grandchildren, Logan and "Katie" with a passion. They called her "Nanny Kay" and she was so very proud of them and all their accomplishments. She willingly displayed their sports stickers on the windows of her car for all to see, and took them shopping where she would spoil them to pieces!
Kay loved to stay active and was constantly on the go, but there was one thing that would stop her in her tracks and make her hunker down in her home...a snowflake! She would not venture out if there was the slightest possibility of a skiff of snow.
Kay is survived by her husband Marvin Wermers, Spearfish SD; two daughters, Marva Wermers of Spearfish SD and Rhonda (David) Sulentic of Deadwood SD; grandchildren, Logan and Kaitlyn Sulentic; her siblings, Joyce Harkness and long term friend LaDonna Zall of Ralston, Wyoming, and brother, Gary (Donna) Harkness of Big Timber, Montana. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Edith Harkness; step-father, Walt Schloredt and her granddaughter, Angel Sulentic.
Vigil services will be held at 6:00pm, Thursday, March 5, 2015 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lead. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Vigil. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, March 6, 2015 at the church. Burial will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to benefit Connections at Northern Hills Training Center.
Arrangements are under the care of the Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel in Lead.
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