A Funeral Service for Kathryn Grace Gates Griffith of Gamaliel, Arkansas, will be 10:00 am, Wednesday, January 14, 2015, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel, with Minister John Black officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, January 13, 2015, from 5:00 - 8:00 pm, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel.
Kathryn, age 72, of Gamaliel went to be with our Lord and Savior on January 5, 2015, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota surrounded by her loving family. She was born March 9, 1942, the daughter of James and Sylvia Walton Gates. She married Robert Griffith in 1963, lived in Glen Ellyn and Winfield, Illinois, moved to Arkansas in 1970 where they owned and operated 101 Boat Dock in Gamaliel, Arkansas for 36 years before retiring in 2006.
Kathy was "Mom" or "Miss Kitty" to several generations of young people working summer jobs at 101 Boat Dock. She was active in many Arkansas state tourism meetings and conventions as well as many local community functions including Gamaliel Fire department, 101 Resort Association as well as a charter member of The Gamaliel Girls (G.G.'s) club. She will be fondly remembered by many hundreds of her friends and customers she touched over the years.
Kathryn is survived by her husband of 51 years, Robert "Bob" Griffith; her son, Robert "Rob" (Paige) Griffith and two granddaughters, Tristen & Darrian Griffith all of Gamaliel; two brothers-in-law, Roger Griffith of Lombard, IL and Bob Gauthier of Skokie, IL; three nieces and three nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, James Gates and sister, Jeanette Mortensen.
Burial will be in the Maynard Bend Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Visit an online obituary and guestbook at
www.kirbyandfamily.com
.