Kay was born in Richhill, Missouri to Daniel Matthew Rhodes and Bessie Lourie Rhodes. She had one sister and three brothers. Beginning with her Christian life in the harsh depression years and at age four, following the death of her Dad from chemical injuries suffered in WWI, Kay’s mother moved them to reside in Pueblo, Colorado. Her mother raised the family, working as a waitress and dancing burlesque in a chorus line.
Kay struggled without having both parents, but like her mother learned to survive and make her own way. Kay gave to her family through caregiving and physical work, and forged her own survival and stubborn independence through a fearless work ethic modeled by her mother and demanded by needs of the harsh times. Kay initiated work at an early age, cleaning other people’s homes, working at a dairy after school, and earning a position as a meat cutter with Safeway Grocery, a male dominated area in those times, a job she worked hard to keep for over four decades.
Kay struggled to survive in marriage. Her first two marriages ended in divorce due to verbal and physical spousal abuse. Her third, to Clarence Scarafiotti, was a blessing. Her soul mate of twenty-four years to 2008, Clarence motivated her choice to return to church, and to give up using alcohol and tobacco.
Kay struggled in being a mother and a parent. She was mother of three (Michael, Lewrie, and Rebecca). Michael passed at age 25 years. Kay raised her two daughters through work, itinerant living and tough marriages. While the relationship required nurturing from Mom and daughters, Lewrie and Rebecca have each experienced the rekindling and reconciling of maternal bonds in the past 35 years and lovingly wrapped their arms around Kay at time of her final journey.
Kay struggled with numerous physical issues. She worked until hands gnarled by arthritis would not hold the meat cutting knives. She pushed her hands through selfless caregiving for family, friends, and neighbors through cooking their meals, transporting them often long distances to appointments, and just being a companion.
Kay loved to read. Lewrie loved to read, and hoped to share a book which would pique her Mom’s curiosity, until Kay’s dealing with magnifiers did not compensate for the macular degeneration. Kay loved the slots at Cripple Creek, Colorado and Clarence frequently accompanied her or allowed her time out for her not infrequent solo trips “up the mountain.” After Clarence passed, Kay was devoted to her dogs, Rocky and Fonzie. While she enjoyed fishing for fun, through her working experience in the San Fernando Valley markets she developed an intense dislike for eating fish.
To deal with care for accumulating and progressive health issues Kay reluctantly allowed Lewrie to move her to Lubbock in 2012, residing with Lewrie and her husband David, and for the past three years residing in assisted living.
Kay is preceded in death by her parents, Daniel Matthew Rhodes and Bessie Lourie Rhodes, by her brothers (Thomas, Jack and Rod Rhodes), by her son Michael John Srdoc, and her common law husband Clarence.
She is survived by her sister, Joy Ingram and husband Chuck Ingram of Denver Colorado; daughter Lewrie Ann Close and husband David Close of Lubbock, Texas, and their son (grandson) Dennis Jay Close of Heath, Texas; daughter Rebecca Simerly and husband William Landing of Lubbock, Texas; granddaughters (Michael’s) Lewrie, of Colorado and Michelle, of Germany; and many nieces and nephews.
Kay’s family express their heartfelt thanks to Kay’s caregivers and companions at the Beehive Assisted Living, Lubbock, Texas; to Kay’s medical caregivers and physicians in Lubbock, especially Dr. Kaiser Tarafdar, Dr. Harry Hall, and Dr. Paul Walter; to St. Gabriel’s Hospice and Palliative Care, Lubbock; and to each person who offered prayers in her behalf.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be considered to Women’s Protective Service, Inc., Lubbock Texas, or the Adult Protection Program of the Pueblo County Department of Human Services, Pueblo, Colorado.
Services: Mass of Christian Burial, Christ the King Cathedral, 4011 54th Street, Lubbock, Texas, 11:00AM Monday, November 18,2019. Interment Rose Lawn Cemetery, Pueblo, Colorado, Thursday, November 20, 2019.
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