Kay Widness
After a full life, well lived, Katherine (Kay) D. Widness 92, of Sun City Center, FL, died peacefully on December 26, 2010.
The first child of Floyd P. and Ruth M. Davis, Kay was born in 1918 and grew up in Wilmington, Vermont, where her family operated a farm, restaurant, and grocery store. She was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from the University of Vermont in 1940 with a degree in home economics. She went on to receive a Masters Degree in human nutrition from Iowa State University. Professionally she performed nutrition research for the federal government and, after raising her two children, taught home economics and nutrition at the secondary school and junior college levels.
On Jan. 1, 1943, she married John E. Widness, and their loving and happy marriage lasted 58 years until John's death in 2001.
Throughout her life, Kay was an active community participant and leader. Outgoing, caring, and eager to help others, she volunteered in numerous civic and church organizations. She was a loving, loyal, and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
She is survived by a son, John (Jack) and his wife, Michaelanne, of Iowa City, IA; a daughter, Karen Birch and her husband, Tom, of Prescott, AZ; four grandchildren, Jamie DeBella, Benjamin, Jane and Laura Widness; a brother, Donald Davis, of Edmonds, WA; a sister-in-law, Marianne Davis, of Ipswich, MA; a cousin, Gladys King, of Pittsfield, MA: and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her brothers Robert, Paul, Norman and Phillip; and her parents.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to CARE, The Salvation Army, and United Community Church in Sun City.
--Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City, Iowa, Jan. 7, 2011
1918 - 2010 (92 years)