Kathleen Ruth Botts, 85, Lenexa, Kansas, passed away on March 28, 2025.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on Thursday April 3, 2025, at the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home with the funeral service following at 11:00 AM, with the Rev. William Mitchell officiating. The burial will follow at Mt. Vernon Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church or the Atchison Humane Society and may be sent in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.beckerdyer.com.

Kathleen was born on January 11, 1940, in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Glenn and Ruth Dunn Barb. She attended schools in Bonner Springs, Kansas, and graduated from Bonner Springs High School in 1958. She attended the University of Kansas, where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority, and graduated in 1962 with a degree in Spanish and secondary education. Kathleen received a master's degree in elementary education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She taught junior and senior high school Spanish in Roesland School District in Johnson County.

Kathleen married Jerry Botts on August 14, 1966, at First Christian Church in Bonner Springs, and they were married for 56 years. He preceded her in death on June 1, 2023. They resided in Shawnee until 1977, when the couple moved to Atchison, and Kathleen later moved to Lenexa.

She is survived by her daughter, Melanie (Ivano) Viola, of East Windsor, NJ, and son, Bryan (Midge) Botts, of Shawnee, and four grandchildren: Morgan and Mallory Botts, and Shen and Sukanya Viola.

Kathleen was a life member of Atchison Hospital Auxiliary and worked at the Atchison Hospital for 21 years as auxiliary director and in human resources, continuing education, marketing and public relations. She was a longtime member of First Christian Church in Atchison, where she served as deaconess, worship chairman and chair of the Outreach Committee. Kathleen was a member of Chapter FT of the P.E.O. sisterhood and a past member of the American Association of University Women.

Kathleen had a generous heart and a fun-loving spirit. She had many pursuits that brought her happiness over the years. She enjoyed being home with her children when they were young, and in later years shared a love of travel with Jerry. Their adventures took them to many parts of the U.S. and Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as Australia. They also took cruises with college friends and a Caribbean cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary that included the whole family. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, listening to jazz and classical music, shopping trips with friends, and reading.