Catherine M. Yelton, 88, of Spokane, Missouri, passed away suddenly on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at Cox Hospital, Branson, Missouri.
Catherine Mary (Thul) Yelton was known to everyone as “Kak.” Kak was born on May 21, 1931, in Deephaven, Minnesota, to Lawrence Joseph and Margaret E. (Ward) Thul. Kak graduated from Bonner Springs High School, Bonner Springs, Kansas, in 1950. On July 15, 1959, she married Philip Shaw Yelton. Kak and Phil operated a dairy farm and crop farm for years in the Bonner Springs area. In 1977 they moved to Winter Haven, Florida, where they operated a bait and tackle shop and guide service for several years. They returned to Lawrence, Kansas, in 1981 until moving to Taneyville, Missouri, in 1992. Kak and Phil resided in Taneyville until Phil’s death on March 13, 2015. Following Phil’s death, Kak moved to her cabin on “The Ridge” in Spokane.
Kak enjoyed feeding the birds. She loved her cat, Zeke. She enjoyed flowers, and in her younger years, she enjoyed gardening. She loved sitting on her front porch, watching the clouds and pointing out shapes in them. For many years, Kak was an avid quilter. She enjoyed making quilts for her family and friends. In recent years, Kak had been making doll clothes for one of her friends. Kak loved playing cards and other games with her family and friends. She loved life and always had a smile on her face—she was often the life of the party. She touched so many people’s lives in so many ways.
Kak is survived by her children: Phyllis (Cliff) Rambert of Boca Raton, Florida; Patricia (Steve) Schlagel of Basehor, Kansas; Charles (Linda) Yelton of Lawrence, Kansas; and Paula (Brian) Selgelid of Spokane, Missouri. She is also survived by her son-in-law, Thomas (Christina) Schram of Bonner Springs Kansas; her grandchildren: Michael (Jaime) Schram, Jason (Kathleen) Schram, Blake (Jennifer) Schram, Marsha (Brian) Tinder, Sara (Josh) Blair, Stephanie (Chris) Poss, and Brett Yelton; and her twelve great-grandchildren.
Kak was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Dorothy Reitinger.
Graveside services will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 12, 2020 in the Bonner Springs Cemetery, Bonner Springs, Kansas.