Kathryn Standeffer Drew

Kathryn Standeffer Drew, age 86, of Tuscaloosa, died on April 3, 2024, with two of her daughters, Lee Belle and Wendy, and one of her granddaughters Amanda by her side at Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, AR.

Libby Kathryn Short (affectionately nicknamed “Spooky”) was born in Jasper AL on October 31, 1937. She left high school early to attend the University of Alabama where she pledged Chi Omega Sorority and pursued a journalism degree. She married William Carter Standeffer, also of Jasper AL, and they moved to Tuscaloosa, where they had five children.

After the children were older, Kathryn went back to college and completed her degree. She worked for many years at Tuscaloosa Academy where she was able to combine her passion for teaching and photography with her love for being involved with her children. She was loved by all her students, taught journalism and typing, published the yearbook, and was at every school event with her camera taking pictures. After 20 years of service as the Director of Development at TA, she launched a new career in Real Estate and became a highly successful top producer until her retirement at 77.

Kathryn was an active Chi Omega Alumnae, dedicated to her involvement with Christ Episcopal Church, the Real Estate for Children’s Trust Charity, and the Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors. She was an energetic Junior League sustainer and served on the University of Alabama’s Continuing Education Board of Visitors and the Hospice of West Alabama Board.

Kathryn’s greatest passion was for her family and the people she loved. She opened her home to many and was affectionately known and loved as Mama Kat by many neighborhood children who spent as much time at the Standeffer home growing up as her own children did. She was born on Halloween and always had a flair for making holidays special for everyone. Kathryn enjoyed belonging to the Gaieties Mardi Gras club. She was an avid bridge player and belonged to several supper clubs. She enjoyed her lifelong friends, with a special bond with her “Jasper Girls” and the “Magnolias”.

To her grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and great-grandchildren she was Kat Kat. She was so proud of her family and friends.

Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy Amanda Lewis Short and Roland Thomas Short, her brother Roland Thomas Short Jr., her husband Mitchell Nebraska Drew, and her friend Jimmy Dill.

She is survived by her large family including: her children Lee Belle Blythe (Bud) of Uniontown, Kansas, Wendy Riggs of Fayetteville AR, William "Bud" Carter Standeffer Jr. (Susan), Stacey Standeffer Curry (King) and Lewis Ashton "Luke" Standeffer (Teia) of Tuscaloosa; cousins, Nancy Lee Honey Marsh, Walter Simmons and Debbie Rockwell, Kevin Honey and her sister-in-law, Bethy Partlow Short; her grandchildren, Paden Blythe, Taylor Blythe, Kathryn Blythe Dykstra, Kaley Blythe and Hannah Blythe Stark, Amanda Riggs and Anna Kathryn Riggs, Carter Standeffer, Harrison Standeffer, Beck Standeffer and McLean Standeffer, Stefan Swindoll and Margaret McGuire, Ashton Standeffer Taylor, Wilson Standeffer, and Jack Standeffer; niece, Conly Short Poolos and nephew, Roland Thomas Short III. Kathryn is also survived by her many great-grandchildren. She also dearly loved her four stepchildren, Mitchel Drew Jr (Gaye), Everitt Drew (Julie), Cecia Loeb (Peter) and Letitia Galloway of Tallahassee FL.

Kathryn was fiercely loved and respected and will be missed by all her family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Episcopal Church in Tuscaloosa on April 17 at 1 pm with the Reverend Paul Pradat presiding. The family will receive friends immediately after the service in Randall Hall. Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to either:

Christ Episcopal Church, 605 Lurleen Wallace Blvd N Tuscaloosa, Al 35401

Tuscaloosa Academy, 420 Rice Valley Road North Tuscaloosa, Al 35406