Katherine Lynch, 86 of Clinton, Missouri passed away on Monday, May 20, 2019 at Truman Lake Manor, Lowry City, Missouri. Fond memories and condolences may be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com . Visitation will be on Thursday, May 23, 2019 from 5-7pm, Rosary will be said at 7pm at the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton, Missouri. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, May 24, 2019 at 10am at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Interment and graveside service will follow at 3pm at Mt. Washington Cemetery, Independence, Missouri. The family suggests memorial contributions to be made to Holy Rosary Catholic Church and may be left in care of the funeral home.

Kate grew up on a farm in Cleveland, Missouri. Her father William was a farmer and a union organizer. He organized the first pipe insulators union in the Kansas City area. Kate and her two brothers Bill and Vince helped with daily chores and lived a typical farm life. Kate never remembered feeling poor or going without things during the Great Depression and said that they were insulated from most of the things going on in the country back then. In 1949 Kate was 17 years old when she was introduced to a young man from Sugar Creek, Missouri while she was visiting a cousin in the area. His name was Lawrence G. Lynch Jr. They fell in love immediately. Kate left school to marry him and they were married on September 29 ^th , 1949. They didn't have much but they made a small home and soon Kate had a child, Vicky, however she only lived three days. It was a very sad memory for both Kate and L.G. The other four children that came in the years ahead though were healthy and robust. Jackie came first then Patty, Karen, Sonny and Michelle.

Much of Kate's life was spent living in Independence, Missouri. Although generally a stay at home mother, Kate held a job for many years at Pace in Independence driving a school bus. She had many tales that she could entertain you with from her years of hauling students to and from school. She was good at her job and always enjoyed handling the big bus that she drove. She was a very capable person. While raising her children during those years Kate had a variety of animals. Ducks, dogs, cats, birds, horses, goats and even a squirrel. Kate loved animals very much and passed on that love of animals to her children. She was very kind and compassionate to animals and even in her declining years would lament the loss of a one that had been gone for many years. Kate was also a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan and was a season ticket holder for many years. Everyone on the entire block knew when Kate was watching a Chief's game as she loudly dispensed coaching advice along with praise and insults to the glowing television. Kate and L.G. both loved boats and the water and passed that on to their children. Although Kate never could swim, she made sure that all her kids could and even taught us to water ski. Most of their lake life revolved around Stockton Lake and they had land there and a trailer for many years. Upon L.G.'s retirement from the Independence Fire Department in 1979, the decision was made to move to leave Independence and move to Stockton full time. During their years together in Stockton Kate and L.G. enjoyed a large garden every year and hosting friends from Independence who would drop by from time to time to visit. It was also during this time that Kate got a job as a news reporter for KESM Radio in El Dorado Springs, Missouri. Although she had no formal training, she went about the job with great enthusiasm and performed at a high level, digging into stories and adding her own personal touch to things when she could. Kate and L.G. also ran a mobile home transport business for many years. Kate lived in Stockton until shortly after L.G.'s death in 1991.

After 42 years of marriage to L.G., Kate was devastated after his death. She felt lost and was uncertain about what to do. Then, in 1992, she moved to Clinton, Missouri where her son, Sonny and his young family were living, Sonny having settled there after joining the Clinton Police Department after serving in the United States Army. It was a great location for her regarding her children, with Patty and Michelle being in Springfield area and Jackie in Kansas City. A few years later, Karen moved to Clinton also. Kate spent many happy years in Clinton and for 17 of those years, she worked at Taco Bell. She was something of a local celebrity as everyone knew her from seeing her daily at Taco Bell. Kate drove a little blue car for much of that time and due to her love of fast driving, became acquainted with almost every one of her son's co-workers.  It was also during those years that the world seemed to open up for Kate. Traveling with her children she saw most of the United States, traveled to Hawaii, went on nine different cruises and enjoyed years of annual "Girls Day Out" trips with her daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters. Kate loved to travel and go places and it brought her so much joy over the years. She often described her years in Clinton as the happiest years of her life. During that time, she had a great deal of interaction with her grand children attending their many sporting events, horse shows, going on float trips with them and shopping in the city. Kate did it all. Kate was also a huge supporter of the Clinton Police Department and loved the officers very much. Over the years she made several friends there and she was devasted both times that Clinton Officers were killed in the line of duty.

Another thing that Kate was known for was her love of holidays, birthdays and special events. She was very meticulous in her planning for such events and always took special care that people felt special and loved by her on their special day. Christmas was like a contact sport for her. She also loved Old Glory Days on the Clinton Square every year and never missed one. New Years Eve was usually spent at a riverboat casino in Kansas City, gambling and having dinner.

Watching Kate live her final few years was a hard thing for the people who loved her. She was put to the test so many times with failing vision, dementia, broken bones and infections. What we all saw though during those trials were the things that she instilled in all her children during her life here. You never quit. Ever. You get up. You keep going. You try hard and give it your all because people depend on you. She did not always were a cheerful countenance. She got down like anyone would, but she would gather her strength and courage and she would stand.   Kate left the world and everlasting image of what and who she was. She left them her family. A family that she loved so deeply and was so devoted to that it consumed most of her waking hours. If she was in your corner, you would win or at least you felt like you could. It is that fighting spirit that will be missed the most. We all owe a death and eventually even Kate left us. She was the most resilient, toughest and tender-hearted person most of us will ever know in our lifetimes. She was by no means perfect, but she wanted perfection for all of us. She has gone now to her reward and to be with L.G. and for those of us who remain, we will not forget what she taught us.

Kate was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence G. Lynch Jr., and her parents.

Kate is survived by her children, Jackie (Roger) Schramm, Kansas City, Missouri, Patty (Steven) Ayers, Eudora, Missouri, Karen (Bob) Collins, Clinton, Missouri, Sonny (Pam) Lynch, Clinton, Missouri, and Michelle Bay, Eudora, Missouri, brother, William (Sharon) Barrett, Climax Springs, Missouri, grandchildren, Sandy (Eric) Benton, Michael (Kay) Schramm, Chris (Jessica) Hall, Cody (Crystal) Lynch, and Garrett (Emily) Lynch, as well as 13 great-grandchildren with one on the way.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton, Missouri.