Mary Kathrine (Kay) Croft Powers' Obituary
Mary Kathrine “Kay” Croft Powers
1936-2022
Mary Kathrine “Kay” Croft Powers left this life for her next adventure, on Friday, March 18, 2022, surrounded by loved ones, both from this life and the next, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Mary Kay was born in Cedar City Utah on June 4, 1936, the youngest child of George A and Prudence Roberts Croft. Kay was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, aunt, cousin, mother, grandmother, friend, teacher, business owner and cancer survivor. She was kind, thoughtful, smart, funny, strong, creative, resilient, generous and feisty…she did things her own way and in her own time. She made the world a better place and those lucky enough to know her in this life were blessed because of her.
She was the much loved, but unexpected “caboose” of her family. Her older brother by eleven years, Carl, had gotten a saddle for Christmas the year before she was born, and was promised he would get a pony the next Christmas, but the next June he got a baby sister instead. He never did get that pony, and never let her forget it.
Kay grew up in Cedar City, Utah, and after graduating from Cedar City High School, she attended Brigham Young University, breaking a long family tradition of attending Utah State University. Kay had a different experience from her siblings who were raised during the depression. When her father dropped her off at college he asked “Do you know how to write a check?” Kay answered, “I think so “, and George handed over his checkbook. Kay would supplement her apartment's budget when needed with George’s account, to say nothing of buying shoes. When she left college, she packed two pairs of shoes in one shoebox so her father wouldn’t realize how many pairs of shoes she had. She graduated from BYU with a teaching degree in Home Economics and began her teaching career at Hurricane High School. After two years in Hurricane she left to attend Oregon State University, where she studied in the master’s program. She returned to Cedar City where she began teaching in the Family Life Department of SUU.
During the summers she continued another family tradition of working for the Utah Parks Company. She first worked at Zion National Park for four years where she was a waitress for one day and then transferred to the curio shop. Later she worked at Grand Canyon where she fell in love with a National Park Service Ranger who drove a bright red car. That Park Ranger was Robert Powers, Jr, whom she married on June 9, 1962 in Cedar City, Utah. They then moved to Bakersfield California where they both taught school. In 1968, Bob and Kay relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah, where their children Michael and Holly were born.
Kay was known for her skill as a seamstress and she and her friend Berna were the founders
and owners of B&K Drapery, which they ran successfully for over thirty years. She loved doing anything creative whether it was needlework, cooking, celebrating holidays or discovering any new gadget. She was the favorite aunt to her nieces and nephews and loyal friend to all who knew her. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and enjoyed Serving in the Relief Society organization and sharing her talents with the sisters in her ward.
She is survived by her husband Bob, children Michael Powers and Holly Powers Christiansen; grandchildren Katie, Josh, Chase, and Maddy; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents and siblings and their spouses: Carmen Croft and Wendell Jones, Marge Croft and Allen Dill and Carl and Jane Urie Croft.
We express our appreciation to all those neighbors, friends and family who cared for and supported Kay during her struggle with Parkinson’s disease, as well as heartfelt gratitude to the staff and caregivers at Riverway Memory care and Atlas Hospice, who provided such tender care during Kay’s last few weeks.
A memorial service will be held Saturday March 26 at 11am at the LDS meetinghouse 2850 W 3835 S, West Valley City, Utah 84119. Interment Elysian Burial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in her name to the Parkinson’s Foundation www.parkinson.org
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