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Submitted: 12/17/19 • Approved: 6/18/22 • Last Updated: 6/21/22 • R242327-G242327-S3
January 11, 1947 - July 28, 2016
Kay, as she was known from her early childhood—later as Grover (after the "Sesame Street" character) to her children and close friends, and GoGo to her grandchildren—was 69. She spent her life in Bastrop and Monroe, except for a brief stint in New Orleans: four years as an undergraduate at Newcomb College of TulaneUniversity, where she earned her B.A. in history; and then, after a year teaching history at Bastrop High School, two more with her new husband, Stephen J Katz, of Alton, Illinois, as he finished earning his J.D. at Tulane. In 1972 the young couple moved to Monroe, where Steve began practicing law and their children, Stacey Rika, Laura Hillary, and Keith Douglas, were born. In 1977 they settled in Bastrop, where Steve became a partner in the law firm of Rankin, Yeldell & Katz. They moved back to Monroe two years ago.
Kay was a vivacious, excitable, endlessly energetic woman with a big heart and a sometimes short fuse, though she could never stay mad for long. Describing her as a "good" mother is like describing Barbra Streisand as a "good" singer or Archie Manning as a "good" quarterback: it doesn't begin to tell the story. Her children and, later, her grandchildren were everything to her. She and Steve charted more miles driving to sporting events to root for them than most world leaders rack up in the course of dealing with international crises. Kay's high-pitched cheering could always be heard over the rest of the crowd in the stands. They continued their travels in recent years to be at their grandchildren's softball, soccer, and lacrosse games and to hike through California with their newest granddaughter.
Kay was born on January 11, 1947, and brought up by her parents, Jacob Seligman and the former Helen Grace Perretz, in her father's native Bastrop, one of ten close-knit cousins on her father's side and an equal number spread across the East on her mother's. From her youngest days she was so popular and outgoing that at Bastrop High School she was the inevitable choice to become head cheerleader. At Newcomb she was a member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. Later on she could often be found at home baking sweets with her two ardent schnauzers at her side. But she loved boarding an airplane if one of her grandchildren was waiting for her on the other end.
She was preceded in death by her parents; by her cousin Bob Schendle last October; and, in April, by her older brother, Jeff Seligman. She is survived by her husband, Steve; by her three children and their families—Stacey and Andrew Sorkin and their children Caleb and Abby; Laura and Glenn Hunt and their daughter Sadi Grace; Keith and Jamie Katz and their daughter Vivian—by her brother Craig and his husband Silvano Nova; by her aunts Phyllis Rose Raphael and Selma Olchin and her uncle Stanley Srochi; and by many cousins and countless friends who are having a hard time imagining a world missing the most alive person they knew.
Contributed on 12/17/19 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 242327