Kathy was born in Potlatch, Idaho on July 7, 1942 to Homer W. Reed and Doris L. Carmody Reed. She grew up in beautiful Spokane, Washington and often referred to it endearingly as “Small Town USA”. Northwestern summers were the host for lots of waterskiing, an activity that Kathy would still talk about even in old age. She loved the water and held many fond memories of afternoons spent with her parents and two sisters out on it. In early adulthood, Kathy found her career as a Licensed Practical Nurse and she enjoyed serving her patients on the floor. Shortly after beginning to work, she met her husband, Ray Yockey, and they moved across the country to Gainesville, Georgia where they would reside for a short time and welcome their daughter, Renee, into the world. They would soon relocate to Athens, Georgia, living on the edge of the University of Georgia campus. Saturday afternoons and evenings were her favorite as she could hear the crowds at Sanford Stadium roaring from her porch. Kathy was easily as loud as those crowds while she listened to Larry Munson’s play-by-play. Kathy was a huge Dawg fan and would quickly remind you that she was busy on those spirited Fall Saturdays if you were to ask her what she might be doing. Kathy had the privilege of staying at home to raise Renee and any friends who happened to be in the home at the time. She was quite the seamstress and sewed for what seemed like the entire Athens community including the Athens Ballet Theater and the Clarke Central High School Auxiliary. Her biggest projects each year were for the University of Georgia where she was responsible for making alterations to many of the Redcoat Band members’ uniforms and sewing the flags for the University flag corps. She was proud to see those flags fly around the field and marveled at how sharp the Redcoats looked at halftime. Later she would welcome her grandchildren, Mary Beth and Maddie, into her home and make memories with them there until they went off to school. She loved her girls and remained active in their lives.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Betse Beck, her granddaughter McKenzie Kathryn Hall and her husband Ray Yockey.
She is survived by her sister Margaret (Reed) and Gordon Fitzecam, her daughter Renee (Yockey) and David Hall, granddaughter Mary Beth (Hall) and Colby Pennington, granddaughter Maddie Hall, and great-granddaughter Mckenzie Rae Pennington. She is also survived by her daughter from another mother, Barbara Root, who was a part of her life for the last 49 years and Sharena Wrease who cared for her over the last two years and became like a granddaughter to Kathy.
A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 22 at the Bernstein’s Funeral Home Chapel in Athens, Georgia.
Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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