Keitha K. “Kay” Chew, 97, of Atchison, KS, passed away Sunday, January 31, 2016, at Atchison Senior Village.
Memorial service will be 2:30 pm Sunday, Feb. 7th, 2016 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Atchison, KS with Sr. Mary Arie officiating. Burial will follow at Lancaster Cemetery, Lancaster, KS. The family will receive friends from 1:30pm on Sunday until time of service at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Memorials are suggested to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and may be sent in care of the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home who is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.beckerdyer.com.
Kay was born October 6, 1918, the daughter of Robert and Ina (Dyson) Keyes. At age six she was adopted by her step-father Forrest C. Trammell. She attended the Parson Public schools and graduated from Parsons Junior College in 1938. She taught three years at a country school (Pioneer) near Altamont, KS. After completing a B.S. Degree in Music Education in 1943 at Pittsburg State Teachers College, she taught at Winfield, KS, Pittsburg, KS, and Mound Valley, KS. She did graduate study in Social Work at K.U. and was employed at the Northeast Kansas Mental Health Center for twenty years. She completed the Masters Degree in Learning Disabilities in 1974 and taught in the Learning Disabilities Program at Atchison Junior and Senior High School ten years prior to retirement.
While working at the Mental Health Center, she organized the First Occupational Therapy Class, and started the first workshop for person with physical and emotional problems and started classes in parenting. She was interested in music throughout her life, was the organist and choir director at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, and sang with the Mother Singers, was instrumental in organizing the Sweet Adeline Chorus in Atchison, and when it disbanded after ten years, a trio “The Ukuleles Ladies” entertained in the Atchison area. In Texas where she and her husband spent the winters, she directed the Kitchen Band, played with Ukulele Band and sang with the Chorus and Choir. Her other interests include golfing, line dancing, bridge and sewing.
She married Philip Rude, June 1, 1944. Survivors include three children by this marriage. Rocklin Rude, Kansas City, MO, Russell Rudy, Ozawkie, KS, Phyllis Rude, Weston, MO. She married Robert A. Chew, November 22, 1959. Mr. Chew preceded her in death on Dec. 28, 2012. Survivors include step children; Robert (Imo) Chew, Lancaster, KS, Linda Mathews, Effingham, KS , Donna Chew, Gower, MO, and Marcia (Alvin) Hunziger, Atchison, KS. Thirteen grandchildren, twenty seven great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Her parents, an infant daughter, Pamela Sue Chew, and a sister, Anna Lee Trout also preceded her in death.