KATHLEEN BALLBECK

Kathleen Ballbeck, age 91, former resident of Fort Scott, died Monday, Aug. 23, 2010 at her home in Kansas City, Mo., with her family at her bedside.

She was born Sept. 24, 1918, in Emerson, Neb., the daughter of Neil and Catherine Driscoll. She was the third of seven children and proud of her Irish heritage.

She spent her childhood on the family farm in Nebraska.

She graduated from Creighton University St. Joseph School of Nursing in 1939.

That same year following a two week courtship, she married Bradley Ballbeck. They were married until he preceded her in death in 1981.

In 1947, the couple moved from Omaha to Fort Scott, Kan., where her husband had taken a job as designer with Bruce Marble and Granite Works.

Kathleen worked as a registered nurse for many years. She loved her profession and her qualities of kindness, compassion and generosity were reflected in her work as well as in her life. Her upbeat outlook and sense of humor remained with her always.

She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and enjoyed the admiration, respect and affection of not only her family but any who knew her.

She will be greatly missed by her daughters, Mary Kunkle of Kansas City, Mo.; and Kathleen Lyle of Vinita, Okla.; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.

She goes to God his good and faithful servant, and if every person for whom she did a kindness placed a blossom on her grave she would sleep beneath a blanket of flowers.

In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by her six brothers, Frank, Ed, Louie, Vince, Dan and Gene Driscoll.

There was cremation. Father Darrin May will conduct funeral services at 10 a.m., Saturday in the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott.

Burial will be in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.