Kathryn Carr “Kate” Thompson, 78, passed away in Kokomo, Indiana on January 11, 2023.  She was born June 5, 1944, in Paducah, Kentucky, to the late Warren Carr Thompson and Elizabeth Hale Goldsmith Thompson.  Kate raised champion show cattle in rural western Kentucky before moving to the city of Lexington where she attended Lafayette High School.  After graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1963,  Kate moved to Kokomo where she spent the next sixty years, dedicating her life to her work as a Speech and Hearing Pathologist, working with children of all ages in Howard County in the Kokomo-Center Township School Corporation.  During her career, she also ran the summer speech clinic for Howard and surrounding counties.   She earned her Master’s Degree in this field from Ball State University.  After retiring, she continued to be active in the school system, serving as a story lady known as “Grammy T.”

In her early Kokomo days, Kate was involved with the Kokomo Civic Theatre.  Known to her faithful friends as a social butterfly, she belonged to two bridge groups, played mahjong, and hosted a monthly gathering of “bag ladies” - a circle of retired Bon Air Elementary School teachers.  She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an educational honorary sorority and Psi Iota Xi, a speech and hearing sorority.

Kate was a voracious reader, volunteering Monday mornings at the Kokomo Public Library in her retirement years.  Additionally, she was a decades long member of Grace United Methodist Church and immensely enjoyed her participation with their choir.  On multiple occasions later in life, she was able to pursue her dream of traveling internationally.

Family gatherings and connections were vitally important to Kate.  Preceded in death by infant siblings,  twin sister, Margaret and brother, Michael, she is survived by her brothers, David (Valerie) Thompson and Stephen (Phyllis) Thompson.  Also surviving are nephews, Ryan Thompson, Michael (Nathalie) Thompson, Christopher (Laura) Thompson and nieces, Andrea (Chad) Barger and Lindsay (Jake) Parker.  Several great nieces and nephews will miss their “Koppie.”

A celebration of life service will be held for Kathryn at 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at Grace United Methodist Church, 219 W. Mulberry St., Kokomo, following visitation with the family at the church beginning at 1 p.m.  A graveside interment service will be held at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, KY on April 28th at 2:00 p.m.  Memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers in her honor to Kokomo Urban Outreach UP (Unlimited Potential) Programs, Gilead House - Kokomo or Samaritan’s Purse for their efforts in Ukraine.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Shirley & Stout Funeral Home, Kokomo.  Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com.