Kathryn Brandes Hermsen

Kathryn Brandes Hermsen entered Eternal Life on Jan. 1, 2026, with her loving husband by her side at Presbyterian Hospital in Plano, TX. She was born in Wichita, KS on October 15, 1948, and grew up in Cheney, KS-a great small town with grandparents, aunts, uncles and many cousins to play with close by.

She graduated from Cheney High School as Valedictorian, class of 1966 and attended KU (Rock Chalk Jayhawk KU!) and obtained a BS in Business Administration. After working in Wichita for Jim Hershberger, she moved to Dallas, TX and worked at several different businesses. Her long-term jobs were with Mr. Cloyce Box CEO at Box Energy as his administrative secretary until his death. She then worked for Northwestern Mutual and Benefits Corporation of Texas as a spread sheet analyst in the insurance industry. Kathy was also the bookkeeper of Hermsen Design Assoc., Inc. her husband's business in packaging graphic design of consumer products. She was always an excellent student and employee wanting to be the best at anything she attempted.

She married Jack (John) Hermsen on March 15,1986 and lived in North Dallas. She was a loyal friend and loved her family and nephews. She enjoyed going to church services until the Pandemic hit in 2020 followed by declining health issues which prevented her from attending. She didn't have hobbies-work was her hobby.

Kathy was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and spent the last 1 year at home with loving caregivers, Monica and Jenn, and under the care of her loving husband who took her to get her hair fixed then out to lunch or dinner every week.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Esther (Uppendahl) Brandes, Cheney, KS and is survived by her husband of 39 years, Jack Hermsen of Dallas, sisters Sharman Edwards from Morgan, TX and her 2 sons, Christopher (Allison) and Steven (Happiness) and their children and Barbara (Hugh) Knighton from Arab, AL and their 2 sons, Trey and Jonathan and many extended families on her husband's side: Sisters-in-law Mary Catherine Alee (Don), Suzanne Denno and Annette Simmons and Brothers-in-law Thomas Hermsen, Christopher Hermsen, Robert Hermsen and David & (Sue) Hermsen.

The family would like to say special thanks to her doctors over the years: Dr. Jeffery Phillips, Dr. Surenda S. Barshikar, Vice Chair Dr. Vikram Shakkottai at UT Southwestern Medical Center Neurological Disease, Miroslaw Slusarz Physical Therapist, Dr. Elisabeth Chambers, Patricia Jimenez Escobar, who did everything they could to help her these past 2 years. Special friends: Polly & (David) Francis, Lorraine Krantz, Shirley Hall, Sue Pryor and cousin Sheila and (Bruce) Jones, Marilyn Heap, Carol Vathis, Jim and Jean O'toole, Christine Weiss, Rita and Gary Gilbert, James Sheehan, Kathy Davis, Bill Madsen, Tom Levens.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, Dallas, TX.

The family requests that, if you wish, donations be made to: UT Southwestern Neurology Clinic, Dallas, Texas