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Obituary for Mary Kathryn Buser
Mary Kathryn “Katy” (Dwight) Buser, 96, passed from this life on Sunday afternoon, February 4, in her apartment at The Gardens of St. Elizabeth in Denver, Colorado where she resided for the past two years. Katy was born to the late John and Mary (Connolly) Dwight on the Dwight Family farm outside Des Moines, Iowa on April 28, 1921. She attended St. Joseph Academy and Drake College in Des Moines. While in school she also worked in her father’s dental office. During WWII Katy worked as an air traffic controller and transferred to Wichita, Kansas, where she was introduced to a handsome young lieutenant, Bill Buser, home on leave from the war. Two months later on February 13, 1945 they were married in Des Moines.
After a short stay in Manhattan, Kansas, while Bill finished his degree, Bill and Katy moved to Independence, Kansas, where they lived their entire married life and raised their nine children. Katy was an active member of St. Andrew Catholic Church Parish, being involved in school activities, Bible Study groups, and Altar Society. She had a special love for all children and was known for always being involved in their activities, including teaching cooking and sewing in their 4-H club when her children were young. For many years Katy owned the Colonial Yarn Shop where she enjoyed teaching knitting and crocheting and her customers enjoyed sitting around the large round table in her shop, drinking coffee and working on their projects together. In 1989 Bill and Katy began a family tradition of gathering their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for an annual summer reunion in Minnesota. The reunions were established because of their desire to help develop strong bonds between the far-flung members of the younger generations and the tradition has continued for the past 29 years.
Katy is survived by eight of her children: Terri Murphy, Joanne Warner(Lon), Mary Gills (Karl), and Loretta Huff (Bob) of Colorado; Becky Brown (Ken) of Independence; Carolyn Latimer (Ken) and Dr. Bill Buser (Marta) of Kansas City; and John Buser (Ann) of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by 25 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bill; her son, Bob Buser (Roseann) of St. Louis, Missouri; and her granddaughter, Yona Julian, of Independence. Also preceding her in death were her 8 siblings: Dick Dwight (Marguerite), Sister Agnes Dwight of Divine Love, Carol Spellman (George), Mary Nelson (Bart), Regina Evans (Max), Joan Hanrahan (Vince), John Dwight (Pat), Joe Dwight (Helen).
Visitation with family will be held from 6:00-7:30 pm on Wednesday, February 14, at Potts Funeral Home followed by a Rosary at 7:30 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Independence, KS on Thursday, February 15, at 10:00 a.m. followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the St. Andrew Catholic School Foundation, 210 N. 4th Street, Independence, Kansas 67301.
