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Obituary for Kathy Kolar, PhD, RN
On Saturday, September 12, 2020, Dr. Kathy Kolar, loving wife and mother of two children, passed away at the age of 68.
Kathy was born Feb 25, 1952 in New Castle, PA, the only child of the late Donald D and Helen R Rassner. She grew up in Jasper, AL, where she attended Walker County High School, graduating early. While still in high school, Kathy began taking courses at Walker Junior College where she continued after graduation. After a short stay there, she decided to pursue her passion for Nursing. Kathy attended the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing where she obtained her RN-BSN. After graduating, she worked at the Children’s Hospital and then at Brookwood Medical Center in Homewood, AL. While working at Brookwood, Kathy met her future husband Rick. Then, while still working, she went back to UAB and obtained her MSN. After attaining her MSN and marrying Rick, they moved to Jackson, MS on Aug 16, 1977; yes, the day that Elvis died. Kathy began her career as a Professor of Nursing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing in Jackson, where she taught until her retirement in 2005. While teaching, she decided to once again further her education and achieved her PhD in Nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. After retirement, Kathy worked at several private clinics, including two school-based clinics, utilizing her degree as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and finally retiring completely in 2015.
Kathy and Rick, in 1994, were part of the original 14 members of Parkway Hills UMC, meeting at Reverend Bruce Taylor’s household. Kathy loved playing tennis and BUNCO. She thoroughly enjoyed reading books and was a member of multiple local book clubs. She was also fond of music, especially classic rock, and loved attending concerts with her family. Kathy loved to exercise and was a member of the YMCA where she attended many group classes where she enjoyed socializing with friends. She loved her daughter Kim and son Kameron with all her heart, as well as her three dogs: Marlee, Zoso and Charlee.
Kathy was preceded in death by her father, Donald, and her mother, Helen. She is survived by her husband Rick (Madison, MS) and two children, daughter Kim (Baton Rouge, LA) and son Kameron (Hattiesburg, MS).
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to Parkway Hills United Methodist Church or BSA Troop 164 at PO Box 1721, Madison, MS 39130.
The Memorial service is to be held at 9:30 am on Friday, September 18, 2020 at Parkway Hills United Methodist Church, 1468 Highland Colony Parkway, Madison, MS 39110, with the interment immediately following. This will be an outdoor service so please feel free to dress comfortably and bring a chair.
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