McKay, Kathryn Ann Claassen

Kathryn Ann Claassen McKay died peacefully at the age of 89 on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. A celebration of Katy's life will be held at Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist in Cedar Rapids on May 7 at 1 p.m. Arrangements by Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Marion.

Katy was born Jan. 10, 1922, to Cecil and George C. Claassen, and was a lifelong resident of Cedar Rapids. She attended Johnson Elementary School and Franklin High School before moving on to Linwood College and earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan. After college she returned to work at WMT Radio, where she hosted a daily show. In 1945, she married her high school sweetheart, Gordon Bruce McKay, a local architect and builder. In 1949, Gordon designed and built the family home on Cottage Grove Circle that Katy lived in for the next 60 years, and where the couple raised their two sons, Bruce Gordon and Douglas George.

Katy and Gordon helped found the Cedar Rapids Community Theatre, served on its board for many years and were active in set design and construction as well. Katy was active in the Junior League's Children Theatre productions, did a bit of acting, and from time to time played the role of Play Time Poppy, the “Happy Little Ear of Corn.”

Katy returned to college in the mid-1960s, earning a master's degree at the University of Iowa. After the loss of her son Bruce and then her husband only two short years later, Katy immersed herself in teaching humanities at Kirkwood Community College, then in its earliest years. Over the next two decades, as Kirkwood grew, she touched thousands of students young and old, sharing her enthusiasm for great writing, for world history, and for fine art. She continued her own education through postgraduate studies at UC Berkeley and at Oxford College in England.

Katy loved travel, and visited Europe, Egypt, India, the Galapagos Islands, Jamaica and the Virgin Islands. Her interest in social issues was reflected in her active participation in and support for the Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist, Cedar Rapids (Civil) Rights Commission, Inter-Religious Council, United Nations USA Association, Amnesty International, Southern Poverty Law Center and the Democratic Party.

Katy treasured family and community immensely. She valued strong friendships with her brother, William Claassen's family, his wife, Norma, and their sons, Bob, Don and Jim. She enjoyed visits to Arlington, Va., to see son Doug, his wife, Margaret, and their daughter, Anna. In Cedar Rapids, Katy remained friends and family with Bruce's wife, Laura Jean, and was grandmother to Kari McKay-Widdel and Kari's siblings, Sadja Pals, Talitha Jackson and Seth Bihun.

Katy's last days were made comfortable by gracious staff at Meth-Wick Community's Arbor Place by Iowa Hospice and by family and friends she lovingly called “my darlings.”

Contributions can be made to the United Nations Association.

Please sign the online guest book for Katy at  under obituaries.