Kay Adele Rathbone Johnson

The family will host a Celebration of Life for Kay Johnson on Friday, June 14th from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Arterra Event Gallery, 2161 Quail Creek Dr., Lawrence, KS.  Please join us as we share stories about Kay and celebrate how much she meant to so many.

Kay Adele Rathbone Johnson, 85, passed away on May 20, 2024 at the Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living Facility in Lawrence, Kansas.  She was born in Wichita, KS, and was the daughter of Jack and Geraldine (Lansdowne) Rathbone.  Kay and her family lived in Sterling, Kansas, from first grade until her sophomore year in high school.  Back in Wichita for her high school years, Kay attended East High and was prom queen and voted outstanding cheerleader.  After high school, Kay graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in education.  She was a dedicated member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority where she met many of her closest friends. In celebration and appreciation of her commitment and support to Pi Phi, she was honored in 2023 as the Kansas Alpha Pi Beta Phi 150th Anniversary Honorary Chair.  Kay’s Pi Phi legacy proudly continued through her daughter, two of her grand-daughters, and both of her nieces.  After graduation, Kay taught second grade at Skyline School in Kansas City and Centennial Elementary School in Lawrence.  Although Kay only taught for a few years, she mastered the “teacher look,” which came in handy when raising her own children and throughout her career in real estate.

In 1961, Kay married her loving husband, Monte C. Johnson, in Wichita, Kansas.  They lived in Lawrence, Kansas, and welcomed their two children, Jackie and Jeff.  In 1970, the family moved to Wichita where Kay was active in Junior League and the Pi Beta Phi alum club. Some of her fondest memories included raising her two children in the community surrounding Wichita Country Club and traveling in support of her family’s activities.  At age 40, Kay began her 30+ year career in real estate.  When Jackie graduated from high school, the family moved back to Lawrence, where Jackie would attend the University of Kansas and Jeff would attend Lawrence High School.  When Monte was offered the position of the University of Kansas Athletics Director in 1985, it was Kay who convinced him to accept the role, and side-by-side they pursued a lifelong commitment to advancing KU. Kay continued her real estate career at McGrew Real Estate and treated each client as though they were a member of her own family.  Many of her clients went on to be life-long friends of hers.  She was a matter of fact, no nonsense businesswoman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to make it happen, even ruffling a few feathers along the way.

Kay and Monte were married for almost 60 years when Monte passed away in May of 2021. During their marriage, they shared an infinite and mutual love of family and athletics. They were always loving and supportive of their children and were the best grandparents their grandchildren and great-grandchildren could ever ask for.  Kay and Monte were avid Jayhawk supporters, in service and philanthropy, and had KU season football and basketball tickets for over 55 years.  If they weren’t attending an athletic event, they were usually watching one on television.  Kay’s hobbies included playing golf, tennis, bridge, poker, and fishing.  In case you were wondering if her family accidentally forgot to mention she liked to cook, they didn’t.  Kay was known for her aversion to cooking and “only had a kitchen because it came with the house.”  Kay could cook, she just preferred not to. Luckily, Monte did like to cook and grocery shop.  Their partnership worked well, and they were each other’s biggest advocate.  Kay was a member of the JU chapter of PEO as well as the Kansas Alpha Pi Beta Phi Alum Club.

Kay loved her family, and her family knew they always had her support. She instilled in everyone the confidence to go after what they wanted and to stand up for yourself even if it wasn’t always the most popular opinion.  Kay was not your typical grandma.  If you ask her grandchildren about their favorite memories of “Meme,” they would probably tell you about the times she taught them poker, helped them with their golf game, or took them fishing.  She was very competitive, and what she might have lacked in physical agility, she made up for with her strategy and gamesmanship. 

Kay is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Monte, her brother, Mike Rathbone, her nephew, Jared Rathbone, and her parents. 

Kay is survived by her daughter Jackie (Bryan) Johnson, (Lawrence, KS), son, Jeff (Corey) Johnson, (Wichita, KS), grandchildren, Jordan (Carl) Lisher, (Lawrence, KS) Hilary (Kyle) Postlethwaite, (Denver, CO) Jackson (Taylor Bonello) Ferguson, (Edmond, OK) Eley, Price, and Carlyle Johnson (Wichita, KS).  Great-grandchildren are Pierce, Mason, and Madeline Lisher, Jack Ferguson, and Ruby Postlethwaite.  Kay’s bonus grandkids include Nicole (Garrette) Roff, Emilie Johnson, and Zach (Reilly) Johnson as well as great-grandchild Jamie Roff. Kay is also survived by her nieces, Molly (Peter) Maxwell, Susanna (Mike) Jones and their children, as well as nephew Joel Rathbone, cousin Kathryn Ann (Jess) Frieze, cousin Pat (Charles) Wiggins and their families. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, Kris Johnson (Florida).

Kay’s family would like to express their deepest appreciation to friends and family who stayed in touch with Kay and kept her going with the latest gossip and sports information.  The family would especially like to give a heartfelt thanks to Lynn Ollila who has been a constant friend and helper to both Kay and Monte during these last few years.

Kay had been living at the Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living Facility.  Her family would like to thank the staff there for taking care of her with such love and compassion.  Thank you also to the caregivers at Pioneer Ridge Rapid Recovery for their support during her stay there. Ascend Hospice provided care and comfort in Kay’s final days and we appreciate them. Warren-McElwain Mortuary is handling the funeral arrangements.

The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in support of the Kay A. Johnson Memorial Fund (13355) at KU Endowment.  Please make checks payable to KU Endowment with the memo line “Kay A. Johnson Memorial Fund” and address them to: KU Endowment, ATTN: Memorial Gift Processing, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044. To give securely online, please visit kuendowment.org/KayJohnson. The Kay A. Johnson Memorial Fund benefits the University of Kansas Athletics, the KU Alumni Association, and the Pi Beta Phi Lawrence Alumnae Scholarship Fund.  Donations may also be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13^th Street, Lawrence, KS  66044-3402.

Together Again