Kathleen Gay Patterson Thomas was born January 11, 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Joseph and Marguerite Patterson, and passed away in her beloved town of Edmond, Oklahoma on the evening of March 16, 2023.
Kathy graduated in 1959 from John Marshall High School. She competed in speech and debate, loved going to the movies, and won 2nd place in Oklahoma City’s Most Beautiful Voice competition. Her senior year, Kathy met the love of her life, Robert Thomas. Following graduation, they married at Linwood Methodist Church in Oklahoma City on November 28, 1959.
As newlyweds, Kathy and Bob moved to South Rankin where Kathy adopted Bob’s love and heritage of Edmond, Oklahoma. They raised three wonderful children, Terri, Robbi, and Allen. Kathy served as PTA President of Orvis Risner Elementary, chaired the Mothers Group at the United Methodist Church, and was an active member and leader of Edmond’s Chapter D PEO. She later served as Church Secretary at Southern Hills Christian Church, then joined the Alcorn State Farm Agency in downtown Edmond. She enjoyed working and spending time with her friends at the neighboring Barrett Drug Store, and retired in 1994 from Rod Eskridge State Farm.
After retirement, Kathy and Bob enjoyed being docents at the Oklahoma Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and supporting the Edmond Fine Arts Institute. Kathy also expressed passion for her town through her work with the Edmond Historic Preservation Trust and the 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse, and as a member of Edmond’s Cambridge Club. She served as chairman of LibertyFest in 1989 and supported the Edmond Chopin Society. Kathy also helped cultivate Edmond’s beauty with her contributions and love of public art, and was the driving force in acquiring the statue “Touch the Clouds,” which sits proudly on the campus of UCO. Kathy was excited about the growth and progress of Downtown Edmond.
Kathy loved to travel and had great stories from Hong Kong, Russia, Italy, Alaska, and her very favorite, New York City. It was her love of travel, and the shared love of art and mountains with Bob, that led them to their “happy place” in Ruidoso, New Mexico, where they enjoyed roaming art galleries and visiting with friends. In later years, Kathy loved sitting on her mountain with her little dog and constant side-kick Cooper, where she crocheted afghans and enjoyed the beauty of her home away from home.
Kathy was preceded in death by her forever love, Bob, and her parents. She is survived and celebrated by her three children: Terri Turner; Robbi Kinnaird and husband, Scott; and Allen Thomas and wife, Chele. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Michele Koopman and husband, Chris; Caitlyn Deason and husband, Jared; Kelsi Thomas and fiancé, Matt Capshaw; Beth Anne Kinnaird and husband, Alan Clark; Jack Kinnaird; Logan Turner; and Theo Kinnaird. Kathy also had six wonderful great-grandchildren: Calvin Koopman, Rylan Deason, Bryce Deason, Adam Deason, Lucas Thomas, and Savannah Capshaw. She is also survived by her sister, Jody Stone of Houston, sister-in-law Jan Boyington and husband Don, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, March 23, at First Christian Church Edmond. The live streaming of the service will be available at www.fccedmond.org/thomas the day of the service.
Contributions in her honor can be made to Breakfast on Boulevard at First Christian Church or by check to the Edmond Historic Preservation Trust.
Beautiful, lovely, gracious and friendly. That’s how I will remember Kathy. She would light up a room especially on Bob’s arm. Their love of Edmond is evident in so many ways.
❤️ Mitzi Hancuff
Beautiful, lovely, gracious and friendly. That’s how I will remember Kathy. She would light up a room especially on Bob’s arm. Their love of Edmond is evident in so many ways.
❤️ Mitzi Hancuff
Edmond has truly lost one of it’s most historically knowledgeable people. She taught me so much about our town’s history. Kathy was the most elegant, eloquent, calm & kindhearted woman whom I’ve ever known. I always wanted to be just like her! She was my “other mother” or “Mom Thom” as I more recently called her. She was my mother’s best friend & I know they are sharing a cup of coffee again together & solving the world’s problems from Heaven. So many of us will miss her dearly. Prayers going out to all of her beautiful family.
Kara Luschen
The Edmond historical preservation Trust was blessed by Kathy’s presence and involvement. She truly left a legacy.
My husband and I moved to NV 3+ years ago. Kathy and I would email and she would tell me about visiting Ruidoso and how much she and Bob had always loved it there. We talked about her “next chapter” after Bob passed. She has really been on my mind a lot recently. I am so sorry to learn she is gone. I am happy she and Bob are now together, but the world was a better place with them in it.