Obituary of Linda Kay

Linda Kay Bennett Kay was born on February 27, 1941, in Clarksburg, West by God Virginia. She was born to Lester and Louise (West) Bennett who already had one daughter, Lunelle. Lunelle was the best big sis that anyone could ask for. She was 11 years older than Linda but they got along so well and shared many great times together.

Linda lived in simpler times and in her younger years she enjoyed roller skating with her cousin Eleanor, climbing trees, playing dress up and singing in the church choir. As a teen she danced the Peppermint Twist at the Tip Top soda fountain and spent many days at Sportsman’s Lake.

Linda attended Salem High School and then went on to Salem College where she met the love of her life, James William Kay, who hailed from Niagara Falls. She saw his name listed in the college office and was determined to meet the man that shared the same last name as her middle name. They joined the college choir together and both worked their way through school. Linda graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in English. After graduating, they were married in Akron, Ohio on September 19th, 1963. Gaining the last name of Kay, she was nicknamed Katie and James became Jamie, confusing many along the way.

After they were married, Jim’s work with the Boy Scouts of America took them on many adventures. Katie was a teacher for her entire career beginning with teaching English at a local college in Ohio then finishing up her teaching career in Ocean Township, NJ. They lived all over NY and NJ and were able to travel frequently and made many new friends and memories along the way. They retired in Melbourne Beach, Florida and enjoyed hosting Happy Hour on their lanai.

Katie loved playing cards, especially Kangaroo Rummy with her good friends Ben and Dee, reading books and more books, crossword puzzles, country music especially John Denver, Star Trek, tulips and celebrating Birthdays. She was a devoted wife and mother and an adoring Nana to her only Granddaughter.

Katie was called home to the Lord on October 2, 2023. She fiercely battled vascular dementia for the last 4 years of her life, with a tremendous amount of grace and yet all the while having a beautiful smile on her face.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Louise, her devoted husband, James; her beautiful sister Lunelle (Strager) as well as many relatives, and close family friends.

She is survived by her loving daughter Colleen Kay and son in law, Benjamin Bunte and her favorite and much-loved granddaughter, Tatym Ayn, all of Denver, CO. She leaves behind many relatives, nieces and nephews, cousins and friends all of whom she adored.

Katie was always a lady and stressed the importance of doing the right thing and if you were going to do something then do it right! She will be greatly missed on earth, but Heaven received an angel.

If you’d like to honor her memory, do a random act of kindness or just smile and wave at someone. You may make someone’s day brighter.