WATERTOWN, NY — Kay Lou Rickett, 82, Watertown, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, at the Samaritan Keep Home, where she had been a resident since June 24, 2019, with her loving husband being at her side.
Calling hours will held 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7, at the First United Methodist Church, Mullin Street, Watertown, after which the celebration of Kay Lou’s life will begining.
Kay Lou was born in Watertown, daughter of the late Lewis and Eva Dingman. She graduated from Dexter High School in 1955.
She married Donald S. Rickett and the two of them spent the next sixty-one years happily in love.
Kay attended Houghton College and the University of Buffalo. She was a legal secretary for Attorney E. Ralph Gosier, a certified teaching assistant at the North Junior High School and Hendrick Hudson School District in Westchester County where they resided in Peekskill for 23 years; where her husband was superintendent of schools.
One of Kay Lou’s most enjoyable and rewarding accomplishments was the directing of the Ecumenical Chorus at the World Headquarters of the Franciscan Friars of the Attonementin Garrison, New York. She did this loving service to the order for over 20 years. At her retirement dinner she was made 1 of 4 women to be inducted into the Order as Associate members. Kay Lou was singing in chorus from the very first one at the Dexter Methodist Church at age 6.
Kay Lou was a smart, dynamic, loveable person that anyone who met her would love her. The employees on the sixth floor of Samaritan Keep who were her care givers all fell in love with “Miss Kay”. The family wishes to publicly Thank all for the delicate loving care that they gave her.
Kay Lou is survived by her husband Don, a son Matthew and daughter- in-law Margaret of Hopewell Junction, NY, a granddaughter Cassandra Hogan of Yorktown, NY and three great granddaughters. Two sisters, Helen Degraw (Jack) of Hendersonville, NC and Marion Palmer (Larry) of Richardson, Texas, a first cousin Donald (Donna) Dingman of Dexter and first cousin General Murray Ramsbottom of Vancouver Island, Canada and more distant cousins in Canada also survive.
A son, Mark Rickett, died before her.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to donate to the Scholarship Fund at Roberts Wesleyan College 2301 Westside Dr., Rochester, NY 14624-9974.
Arrangements are with Johnson Funeral Home, Dexter, NY.
Online condolences may be made to dexterfuneralhome.com.