May 4, 1946 - March 21, 2018

Kathleen Beale Patton

It is with great sadness, that we relay to you the passing of Kathleen Beale Patton.

Kathy was born May 4th, 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Dorr and Arlene (Nelson) Beale.

Kathy is a graduate of Edina-Morningside High School and attended college at William Woods in Fulton, Missouri where she studied art history, and made lifelong friends as a founding member of the Chi Omega sorority on the campus.

After leaving college, she married Lloyd "Pat" Patton, and relocated to France and Germany while he served in the Army.

Once stateside, Kathy and Pat moved to Columbia, Missouri while Pat studied broadcast journalism. After graduation, work opportunities would take them to cities like San Fransisco and Baton Rouge, before finally settling in Kansas City.

Kathy spent many years raising their children while simultaneously pursuing diverse career interests, some of which included working at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, and co-owning with her sister, Workshop Products, a subsidiary of Du-er Tools, a power tool business started by their father. In 2005, at the age of 59, after years of putting her family first, Kathy fulfilled a personal goal and received her Master's degree in Educational Technology from MidAmerica Nazarene University.

Kathy had an active and curious mind, filled by many passions and interests, more than could be listed here.

One of Kathy's biggest passions was art. She was a talented fine artist and graphic designer for over 32 years, with a long list of exhibitions and accolades, some of which include banner designs for the Country Club Plaza, designing the logo for the Overland Park Fire Dept, and numerous fine art works in mediums like oil, fiber, acrylic and lacquer. Her work has exhibited in galleries and art fairs all over the US.

Kathy also had a passion for technology; when Apple opened a store in Kansas City, Kathy played an early role in managing and expanding the store on the Country Club Plaza, where she retired in 2015 after receiving an award for 10 years of excellent service. Additionally, Kathy taught graphic arts courses for many years as an Adjunct Professor at Johnson County Community College.

Another passion for Kathy was travel. She had a natural curiosity for other cultures and an intense reverence for nature and landscapes, as evidenced in her art. Her adventures brought her around the globe to places like Egypt, Australia, and Scotland. Her enduring spirit and lust for life prompted her to always try new and different experiences, a sampling of which include flying in a WWII era bomber, an acrobatic bi-plane flight, as well as indoor skydiving.

Describing someone's entire life and their meaning to those who loved them in a few paragraphs is not only a challenge, but entirely impossible, so it's important to end this obituary by communicating something difficult to measure in words, and was, by far, Kathy's most defining quality - her generosity and compassion for all people - not just her family and friends, but all those who came into contact with her. She was always ready with an open heart for anyone that needed her, and she delighted in finding ways to make other people smile, knowing that something as simple as a compliment or small generosity can turn someone's day around. She truly exemplified lovingness, inclusiveness, and compassion for all living beings.

Family meant everything to Kathy. Her children, nephews and two grandsons brought her immeasurable joy in life, and she gave so much of herself to be present for them. Kathy was a true gift to this world, and we were all blessed to have known her.

She is survived by her son Michael Patton, her daughter Jennifer Kenny, son-in-law Michael Kenny and grandchildren Kaelen and Aiden Kenny, as well as her nephews John Hilliard and David Hilliard.

She is preceded in death by her parents Dorr and Arlene Beale, and her elder sister Judith Hilliard.

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Kathy and I reconnected around the time of our 50th reunion when we discovered we were both passionate about art. She frequently traveled from Shawnee Mission KS to exhibit her paintings at the Edina Art Fair and I would go to visit her booth at the show and sometimes we enjoyed dinner at Broder's following the show. In the fall, I exhibited my own work at the Kansas City Plaza Art Fair and Kathy would visit me there and we would meet for breakfast following the show. She loved managing the Apple store in the Plaza. I'm sorry to hear she is no longer with us. She had a wonderful positive attitude and seemed to truly embrace life.  

- Ginny Bayers Herzog