Kay Dorine Loesch's Obituary
Kay Dorine Loesch, 86, died surrounded by family at Rosario Assisted Living in Anacortes, Washington on Friday, July 1, 2022; but she is now singing a new song in heaven. Psalm 106:15 reads, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
She was born to Edward and Doris Pickard in Ashtabula, Ohio on February 13, 1936. She attended Ashtabula City Schools and graduated in 1954 from Ashtabula High School.
In 1960 she married Claude (Budd) Loesch at the First Baptist Church in Ashtabula. But Ashtabula was just the first stop in their 52 years of marriage. For the first half of their lives, they moved often in search of a better life. First to Brunswick, OH, then to Crown Point, IN, Oshkosh, WI, Ketchikan, AK, Cordova, AK, Chehalis, WA, Castle Rock, CO, and finally to Florida. Budd was always seeking out new opportunities in the newspaper business and “location was second to opportunity.”
Along the way Kay was busy raising four sons. In almost every place they called home, she either sang in the church choir or directed the choir and often played the piano for the church services. Kay enjoyed family vacations and spending time with children. She loved flowers and watching her sons play baseball (often in the rain in Ketchikan, Alaska).
It was 1984 when Kay and Budd first moved to Florida and then retired there. In her later years she enjoyed going to Orlando area exploring the theme parks, mainly to see, touch and smell the many colorful floral arrangements that the parks had to offer. She especially loved the Hibiscus, Plumeria and the smell of the Magnolia trees. Flowers continued to brighten her days ‘til the end.
Son Randy and daughter in law Kathy Loesch (who lived in Florida during the winter) were excellent support for Kay after Budd died in 2013. In 2020 when travel became difficult, her sons moved her to Anacortes, WA to be closer to her many family members on the west coast. Two of her sons live there and her Alaskan based family was able to visit as well. Recently Kay met and approved of our newest family member Lindsay, who is now the wife of her grandson Zepher Loesch. While Kay was unable to attend the California wedding, she was there in photos and in spirit. Her final years were spent attending family get-togethers and day trips to the waterfront in Anacortes. She enjoyed the Tulip Festival and seeing the many beautiful rhododendrons.
She is preceded in death by her husband Budd Loesch and her parents.
Kay is survived by her brother, Ed (Jerie Leigh) Pickard, Jefferson, Ohio; four sons, Ron (Anne), Petersburg, Alaska; Randy (Kathy), Oshkosh, Wis.; Tom (Rebecca), Blaine, Wash.; and Jerry, (Majanoue), Anacortes, Wash.; 6 grandchildren, Zane Loesch, Zepher Loesch, Beth Loesch, Jennifer Loesch, Andy Loesch and David Loesch; 10 great grandchildren, Thomas Knight, Abby Knight, Craig Thorsteinson along with Hallie, Hannah, Devon, Miley, Morgan, Sierra and Savannah Loesch; nephew, Mark (Kim) Pickard; niece, Lisa Pickard; and great nephews, Ben and Andy Pickard.
Funeral services will be held Monday, July 11 at 11:00 a.m., at Grace Memorial Funeral Home and then at Grace Memorial Gardens in Hudson, FL, where Kay will be laid to rest next to her husband Budd.
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