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Katheryn Ann “Kay” Scruggs, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, went to be with our Lord on Friday, September 3, 2021. Born in Mathis, Texas, Kay and her family soon moved to Alice where she received her education up to high school. She and her family then moved to Houston where she graduated from the all-female St. Agnes Academy.
Shortly thereafter her family returned to Alice where she began what would turn into a 16-year career as a switchboard operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone. During her early years with the telephone company, she met and married the love of her life Leo M Scruggs Jr., a Navy man. Leo’s naval career took her and their young family to Midway Island, Imperial Beach, California, and back to Texas, returning to Alice in 1972.
Nine years later, Kay and Leo hit the road again, and for the next nine years they moved from Abilene to Midland to Lafayette, Louisiana to Houston and ultimately to Robstown where they eventually retired. Working for various offices during these moves, she became employed by eye specialist Dr. John E. Bishop in Corpus Christi shortly after their transfer to Robstown. Making what became life-long friendships during her 13 years of employment with Dr. Bishop, she continued to be invited to his office Christmas party every year beyond her retirement, attending most recently in 2019 along with her very special homemade cookies that everyone eagerly anticipated.
The travel bug that had been with them most of their married life remained strong into their retirement years. Kay and Leo particularly enjoyed family cruises, typically with their son Guy and her sister Mary Jo, venturing to the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Mediterranean, and a few gambling jaunts within the U.S. as well. Huge penny slots fans, Kay and her sister stopped at nearly every teeny tiny casino they happened upon along their path on one extremely wild and crazy long road trip to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho where Guy was competing in the 2005 Ironman Triathlon. When traveling became more difficult, you could often hear the familiar whir of spinning reels, loud beeps, and bells as she amused herself by playing slots on her phone or tablet.
When not traveling, you would frequently find Kay and Leo working in their gardens, feeding goldfish in their little pond, and filling bird feeders year-round, both waiting impatiently for the summer and fall migratory visits from their all-time favorites: hummingbirds. Word must have been out in the neighborhood as they also found themselves the community haven for numerous scroungy and injured cats, sometimes to the very visible eye-rolling of Leo. And when Kay’s loving companion of more than 46 years passed she steadfastly continued the efforts they had begun together.
In the Spring of 2016, she moved back to Alice to live with her daughter Debbie and son-in-law Jimmy. She and Debbie managed to sneak in a few more cross-country road trips to see family and friends in New Mexico and Georgia. Most trips, however, were spent to and from Houston visiting her grandsons and their families, where she couldn’t ever quite get enough of her two very precious great grand-daughters Matilda Jean and Mabel, whose middle name Kay, will forever be a loving reminder.
She is preceded in death by her devoted husband Leo Marshall Scruggs, Jr.; father and mother, John Robert and Carrie Lee Sutherland; father- and mother-in-law, Leo and Celia Scruggs; and brother-in-law, Eugene Vrana.
Survivors include her son, Robert “Guy” Scruggs of Dallas; daughter, Debbie (Jimmy) Harville of Alice; three grandsons, Jason (Lauren) Harville of Dallas, Jared (Wesly) Harville of Houston, and Jordan Harville of Alice; sister Mary Jo Vrana of Yorktown; two brothers, Bobby (Carolyn) Sutherland of San Antonio and James “Bubba” (Lisa) Sutherland of Ball Ground, Georgia; sisters-in-law, Jan Honeycutt of Chama, New Mexico and Gay (Donald) Wellborn of Tucumcari, New Mexico; two great-granddaughters, Matilda Jean and Mabel Kay Harville of Dallas; numerous nephews, nieces, and many friends.
The Scruggs Family would like to acknowledge and extend a very special thank you to the Premier Skilled Nursing Home nurses and staff for their compassion and love they showed our beloved, Kay, during her time with them. Your hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
A Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held for both Mr. and Mrs. Scruggs at 1:00 PM on Friday, September 24, 2021 at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery; officiated by Mary Jackson.
Arrangements are entrusted to Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 East Main Street, Alice, Texas.
Condolences for the family may be offered at www.holmgreenmortuaryinc.com and shared via Holmgreen Mortuary Facebook.holmgreenmortuary.com
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