Kathleen Glynis Wilds, also known as Kate, Kath, Kat, and KK, was born on February 5, 1966, and passed away peacefully on September 24, 2024, after an extended cancer journey. Kathy was 58 years old and had lived in Tucson, AZ, for 22 years.
Kathy was raised in Bernie, MO, graduating from Bernie High School in 1984. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s from the University of Phoenix.
Kathy is survived by her domestic partner of 18 years, John Landwehr; her sisters Donna Sutton, Joy O'Brien, and Kelly O'Brien (spouse Kevin Woods); her paternal grandfather, William McMillen; and her dearest friends, Keith and Mary Lund, Adrian and Jessica Gourley (children Sophia and Logan), Dale and Jeanice Tanner of Dexter, MO, and Tim and Kimberly Flowers of Dexter, MO. Kathy had nieces and nephews across the country: Melissa Bradley, Kyle Durno (Donna), Eric O'Brien, Lisa Covarrubias, Amanda Johnson, Patrick O'Brien, Samantha O'Brien, Kalin O'Brien (Joy), Shannon Freeland, and Andrew Patterson (Kelly). She is survived by seven grandnieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her grandparents who raised her, Glen and Velna Stevens of Bernie, MO.
Kathy was a long-time employee of Raytheon Technologies, an aerospace and defense company, in Tucson, AZ, but her passions were genealogy, quilting, and anything with hearts and dandelion seed flowers, which she referred to as wishes. She was a masterful baker, known for her cookies and famous peanut brittle, where she lovingly was given the name of peanut brittle lady. Kathy treasured her time with her ‘adopted’ family in Dexter, MO, where she would visit several times yearly, spending many weeks on each trip. Here, she would visit family in neighboring states, work on genealogy and hike through cemeteries to find family connections, and add to her Christmas collection with visits to the Yule Log.
Kathy's strong spirit, along with her beautiful smile and big heart, will be greatly missed. She will forever be remembered. At her request, Kathy will be interned at the Chalk Bluff Cemetery south of Dexter at a later date. Memorial donations can be made to the Chalk Bluff Cemetery, PO Box 727, Dexter, MO 63841.
