Kathy A. Thompson

A memorial service celebrating the life of Kathy A. Thompson will be held at 3:00 P.M. on October 27, 2018 at Centenary United Methodist Church, 102 E. Broadway, Granville with Rev. Casey Wilson as celebrant. Private interment will be held at Maple Grove Cemetery in Granville.

Kathy died Oct. 15, 2018 at the Selma Markowitz Care Center in Newark after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Zanesville, Ohio to the late Franklin R. and Emily J. Vandenbark. She graduated from Zanesville High School in 1962 and The Ohio State University in 1966 and worked as a registered nurse for 37 years, retiring from Newark City Schools.

Kathy will be remembered for her kindness and unconditional care for others, her love and friendship, and the unique joy she found in her love for animals. Kathy never missed an opportunity to be grateful for the smallest joys of our world. From a simple cup of coffee to watching the wild turkeys and deer out her back window in her latter months, she was grateful for each small moment and noticed them all. She fought hard to stay with those she loved and bravely endured over 34 years of battling breast cancer.  She was an inspiration to her children, family,  and anyone that knew her.  Her focus in life was her family. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

Kathy was a long time member of Centenary United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women. She enjoyed gardening, music, volunteering at the Humane Society, and loved all animals and pets, especially Golden Retrievers.

In addition to her husband of 53 years, Tom; surviving are her children and their spouses, Scott (Jamie) of Stoutsville, Ohio, Lori (Steve) Williams of Orange, CA and Beth (Eric Horsman) Thompson of Greenville, NC; five grandsons, Isaac and Luke Thompson, Cole and Connor Williams, and Elias Horsman.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Stephanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research, 1145 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43212, Hospice of Central Ohio, P.O. Box 430, Newark, OH 43058, or Licking County Humane Society, 825 Thornwood Dr. SW, Heath, OH 43056.