Katherine "Kay" L. Lawrence, 89, of Redfield died Thursday, July 11, 2013, at Community Memorial Hospital in Redfield. Her funeral will be Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield. Pastor Lorah Houser Jankord will officiate. Burial will be in St. Bernard's Cemetery in Redfield. Visitation will be Tuesday, starting at 9 a.m. at Thelen Funeral Home.
Kay was born in Manhattan, N.Y., on Nov. 20, 1923, to immigrant parents Louis Masut (Germany/Italy) and Claire Yarrow (Paraguay). She grew up on Staten Island, N.Y., from where she would venture into and later work in the glamorous New York City during the 1930s and '40s. At 18, Kay married Alden Dahlberg and bore her only son, Les, in NYC. The 11-year marriage took her to southern California where her daughter, Linda, was born.
While working as a secretary at McDonald Douglas, Kay met Frank Ryan Lawrence, a widower from Oklahoma with two young daughters of his own. Frank pursued Kay with relentless charm and, soon after their marriage, the happily blended family, living in Fullerton, Calif., welcomed two more daughters, Karen and JoAnna. People and friends often referred to the family as a musical family. Both Frank and Kay were gifted singers as well as four of the daughters. An impromptu and spontaneous family "show" staged in the living room was quite common. Frank and Kay even encouraged the two youngest to perform professionally, beginning at young ages. Driving to talent shows, contests and charity events made for many an exciting weekend for the family in the 1960s. Frank died in 1978 and, in 1987, Kay moved 80 miles south to live with her mother in San Diego.
In her mid-80s Kay sang with a musical comedy group made up of Seniors. She had a ball helping set-up the stage equipment and starring in many of the original parody productions.
In April 2011, Kay moved to Redfield to live in her own house on her daughter and son-in-law's property. She loved South Dakota for its friendly people, lifestyle, natural beauty, clean air and lack of traffic and crime. She even loved the winters!
She had many hobbies and interests. She sang and played piano, was interested in psychology, human behavior and natural health. She was an avid reader of non-fiction, loved collecting fine jewelry, had a passion for interior decorating, liked to sew, earned a cosmetology license, enjoyed classic movies, musicals, jazz standards of the 30s, 40s and 50s, as well as classical music and opera.
Though surviving a significant stroke in April 2012, Kay enjoyed trips to Aberdeen and Watertown for a little "retail therapy" at Herberger's and a lovely lunch at Minerva's or Twin Dragon Buffet.
Kay is survived by son, Les Dahberg and daughter-in-law, Patty Lewis of Georgia; daughter, Noralee and son-in-law, Bob Rissi of California; daughter, JoAnna and son-in-law, Dan Sutton of California; daughter, Karen and son-in-law, Joe N. Jungwirth of Redfield, S.D. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, two sisters and a brother.
Unique, forever-young, earnest and loving, Kay was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frank; daughters, Linda and Joyce; and granddaughter, Natalie.
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