Kathern G. Wellington, Bird City
https://www.haysmemorial.com/obituary/Kathern-Wellington
March 9, 1944 - July 14, 2023
Kathern G. Wellington, 79, of Bird City, Kansas, whose maiden name was Carolyn Yvonne Duke, went to be with the Lord on July 14, 2023.
She was born March 9, 1944 at College Hospital in Glendale, California.
Kathern was preceded in death by her father, Vivian Mortiman Duke III, mother, Florence Lorraine Boyson, and sister, Vivien Patricia Duke (Lossius).
Survivors include her brother, David Byron Duke, her sister, Sandra Gail Duke (Yocum), five children, Yvonne, Sherry, Thomas, Michael, and Melissa, eight grandchildren, Shayrah, Sarah, Mickaela, Travis, Matthew, Melodie, Kaylen, and Sydni, and seven great-grandchildren, Kylie, Mischa, Pascal, Korben, Lilu, Emmett, and Audrey.
Soon after Kathern was born, her family moved to Bird City, Kansas where her mother was born. She spent her grade school years in Bird City.
While attending Christ’s Ambassador of the Assembly of God church in Bird City she gave her life to Jesus. She would often tell the story of her first encounter with the Lord.
During her jr. high and high school years, her family lived in El Monte, California. She went to Rosemead High School where she went to many proms and winter dances. She was also involved choir and track. It was then that she got married and started a family of her own and had her five children.
Kathern had a wonderful spirit and would light up a room with her bubbly personality. She was the life of the party and very outgoing.
In 1968, her sister Sandra became born-again and a year later asked Kathern to go to church with her, an Assembly of God church in Monrovia. There she rededicated her life to the Lord and was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Kathern became a devout Christian and made sure her children always attended church with her Sunday morning, Sunday night and Thursday night. Her love for the Lord poured out in her work for the Kingdom of God. She, along with her sister Sandra, would pull her children in a wagon and go door-to-door spreading the good news about Jesus. She sang in the church choir and sometimes solo or duets with her sisters. They had a bus ministry that would pick up children for Sunday School. She also taught children’s Sunday School, loved working with children, and would never let an opportunity pass when she could tell someone about Jesus. She never knew a stranger.
Kathern was a fantastic writer and wrote many children’s stories and songs. Her lifelong dream was to have one of her children’s books published. Many of the books and songs were about Jesus.
She was not content in California at that time and repeatedly talked about moving back to Kansas, where she lived as a youth. In 1975, she got her wish and her family moved to Goodland, Kansas, then to Brewster, Kansas, where many of her children attended high school. Later she moved back to California to various cities spread throughout southern and northern California.
When she was in her 40s, she went back to school and earned her high school diploma, then moved on to college and had one of her poems, “Mystic Warrior,” published in a book of poems. She also went on to get her CNA license and worked in private duty nursing for many years.
During her time in Placerville, California, she took care of her sister Vivien who had gotten in a train accident. She helped Vivien with her flower shop and aided her with her nursing home business. Years later while working as a private duty nurse, it led her to the beach. She grew a special fondness to the beach and the beach lifestyle. She lived at the beach many years. From then on, she had the desire to live or spend time at the beach.
In her later years, Kathern along with her daughter Melissa, took care of her mother, Lorraine. After her mother died, she moved back to Bird City to live with Melissa the remaining years of her life.
Arrangements are in the care of Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, Kansas.
Condolences and memories of Kathern may be shared with her family at www.haysmemorial.com.