Kathryn Grace Fay

Kathryn was born on December 18, 1949, but because the doctor was drunk at the time and did not record her birth until the following day, her official birthday was December 19. She was born in Mt. Vernon, Texas to Robert Clarence Holder, Sr. and Martha Jo Loder. Kathryn graduated from Cooper High School in Cooper, Texas in 1967. She worked for Xerox for 33 years (1980-2013) and was a Program Manager and Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at the time of her retirement. While working at Xerox, she went back to college and obtained her BBS degree from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas in 1999.

Kathryn married the love of her life, Robert Patrick “Pat” Fay, on September 17, 1989. They were baptized together the week before they were married in 1989. Together, they raised three of their grandchildren - Sunni, Layne, and Kaitlynn Hopper – since they were babies. She was known to her five grandchildren as “Mimi” because that is the name she called her grandmother, who she adored. Kathryn spoiled and loved dearly all her grandchildren. She attended every event any of her grandchildren were ever participating in, whether it was a baseball game, color guard performance, basketball game, football game, marching band contest, or graduation. She was always there for them.

Kathryn will be remembered most for her selflessness and heart of gold. She would help anyone who needed it at any time. She will also be remembered for her fighting spirit and strong will, especially after having survived and defeated breast cancer twice. She was a strong and independent woman who raised her two children completely on her own until she married Pat in 1989. She valued her memories and had countless boxes full of pictures to remind her, and the rest of us, of all the great times she had. She had an eye for photography and captured the most stunning images that we will cherish forever. Her favorite time of the year was Thanksgiving, and she went out of her way to make every holiday special for us all. She enjoyed poker nights with family, especially with her brothers and husband. She also enjoyed scrapbooking and crafting her own beautiful cards for every type of occasion.

Kathryn is survived by her daughter Gia Bowens of Argyle, Texas; son Jon Hopper, Sr. of Sulphur Springs, Texas; five grandchildren, Devin and Braedon Bowens, and Sunni, Layne, and Kaitlynn Hopper; brothers,Jack Holder of Greenville, Texas and Steve Holder of Wichita Falls, Texas; sister-in-law Nancy Sue Weiss of Ann Arbor, Michigan; brother-in-law Donald R. Fay of Jackson, Michigan; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceded in death were her husband of 31 years, Robert Patrick Fay, brother, Robert Holder, Jr., father, Robert Holder, Sr., mother, Martha Jo Loder, and brother-in-law Richard Michael “Mike” Fay.

It was Kathryn’s wish to be cremated, with her ashes to be combined with her late husband’s ashes, and her wishes will be honored. Rest in peace, Mom. We love you dearly. You already are, and will always be, deeply missed.