Kathryn Jane Kraai

Kathryn was born on July 1, 1940, in Topeka, Kansas to Ralph and Floy (Reeves) Crouch. She grew up with an older sister, Margaret, and a younger brother, Bob, in Johnson County, Kansas.

Summers on her family’s farm in Everest, Kansas made a lasting impression, shaping her love of the prairie and her fascination with the stories rooted there – fields marked with ruts from the Oregon Trail and her grandparents' nearby home, a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Kathryn attended Overland Park Elementary, Prairie Grade School, and graduated from Shawnee Mission High School in 1958. One of her favorite high school memories was playing the sousaphone in the marching band, a big task for a petite girl.

She went on to Kansas State University and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas in 1962. After completing school, Kathryn taught junior high in Iowa City and in Overland Park. She was motivated by a life-long love of learning, which she shared with others, and later earned a master’s degree in childhood education from the University of Kansas.

She met Gerald Mark Kraai at summer school in Boulder, and they married in 1964. Over their 52-year marriage, the two shared an insatiable curiosity about everything from books and lectures to cooking, history, science, and pop culture. Together, they raised four children - Robert, Kerry, Bill, and Steve. They enjoyed trips to the Oregon coast and Florida.

Kathryn was a collector of many things. She was known for her generosity and kindness, her beautiful flower garden, her wonderful cooking and themed birthday cakes, her interest in history and genealogy, and her sharp card-playing skills. Kind to animals, she often had a pet dog riding next to her in the front seat of the car.

She was an avid reader and thought of books as friends. As much as she liked hearing stories, she was great at telling them. Visitors often left her house gifted with laughter from one of her clever tales and with an interesting book from her tremendous library.

Kathryn found purpose through helping others. She attended the Village Presbyterian Church most of her life, taught Sunday School, and participated in Church Circle. She promoted Women’s education through Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO), and its scholarship program with Cottey College. She maintained loyalty to her Chi Omega and Class of ’58 friends. She was quick to support others in need.

Kathryn was a devoted grandmother who turned her basement into an epic playroom, where no one cared about a little mess. It was loved by generations of kids and neighbors.

She understood the magic of being a child and held on to that playful spirit throughout her life. For two summers, she helped her children organize a neighborhood carnival in their backyard and basement, with a zipline, haunted house, and games. Proceeds were donated to the local animal shelter.

Kathryn is survived by her four children, Robert Kraai, Kerry Kraai Lansing (Shawn Lansing), Bill Kraai (Kerstin Kolbe), Steve Kraai (Katherine Tormey), and her sister, Margaret McWhorter; as well as eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held at McGilley Hoge Funeral Home in Overland Park from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 5,2026, and a memorial service at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026. Memorial contributions in Kathryn's honor can be made to the Kathryn Kraai Memorial Fund. Proceed will go to the Ralph W. Crouch Scholarship Fund and the Ralph Crouch KPMG Professorship Fun. Checks can be made out to: Kansas State University Foundation, 1800 Kimball Ave, Suite 200, Manhattan, Kansas 66502 with the memo: Fund#M45719.