Kathryn Mae Merrill Kirkman

The love of Kathy's life was her family and the gospel of Jesus Christ. She cherished us all and our lives were blessed by her loving ways, always thinking of others first and her needs second, if at all. She will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing her. She was truly Christlike in the way she lived her life.

Kathy served a mission with Larry to Washington, DC. She also served as PTA president several times, Relief Society and Young Women's presidents, organist, choir director and an early morning seminary teacher. As a ward choir director, she put a can of Tab soda and an apple on the pulpit during a practice and said "you are my Tab and Apple choir!" As Relief Society president, she went to unlock the church for night Relief Society and then 2 hours later gave birth to Kay, her sixth child. As a family, we remember that she often made homemade root beer in a clean trash can. As PTA president, she used 5 trash cans to make root beer for 500 people at Back to School Night for the local junior high.

She worked for 25 years for Pacific Bell as a directory assistance operator. She was known for being overly helpful to the chagrin of her bosses - occasionally pulling a phone number out of her purse if the number wasn't listed.

Kathy sewed a lot over the years, making many Halloween costumes and Christmas pajamas for Mrs. Santa Claus to give to her children on Christmas Eve. One year she made five clown costumes for her children and they won the local costume contest with the prize being $25 which bought new shoes for the 5 children.

Kathy has been a friend to many over the year, wherever she went. We, as children, would ask her if she knew the person she was talking to. Almost always, the answer was no. She said it was "very easy to do." She is someone very special that everyone seems to take a liking to! Thanks Kathy for being that special person to lighten up everyone's day!

Larry and Kathy enjoyed attending family events, whether it be recitals, blessings, sporting events, baptisms, ordinations or weddings.

She is survived by her children: Karen Grant (Barton), Jacqueline White (Robert), Carol, Robert, John (Jenny), Kay Bailey (James), 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by son Richard.

Funeral services will be held Friday, December 5, 2014 at 11:00 AM at the LDS chapel at 828 S. Center St., Lehi, UT. Visitation will be 9:30 - 10:45 prior to services at same location. Internment at Lehi City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Builders Without Borders at winthisquilt.com. Please read and share stories at serenicare.com.