WAUSEON, OH – Kay Ladd, 83, of Wauseon, Ohio passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday September 6, 2022, at Embassy of Swanton. Kay Elaine was born on April 26, 1939, to Thomas Milton and Myrtle Irene Saunders (Crumrine) of Adrian, Ohio.
She was a graduate of Carey High School, Class of 1957, and was one of seven Magna Cum Laude students.
Kay was also a graduate of the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in 1960 and on July 15, 1961, married her sweetheart, Kenneth Paul Ladd.
She was the assistant head nurse of orthopedics at the Toledo Hospital from 1960-1961. Kay was the head nurse the night of the Cal Poly football team airplane crash at the Toledo Express Airport. She helped to nurse several of the players back to health.
Kay was a staff nurse at the Huntington (Indiana) Hospital from 1961-1962; staff nurse medical unit, Detwiler Memorial Hospital, Wauseon Ohio from 1965-1966; staff nurse in charge 3-11, Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon, Ohio from 1968-1986; diabetes educator, Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon, Ohio from 1986 until her retirement in 2004. In 1987 Kay was the hospital liaison for the Fulton County Diabetes Association.
Kay was the originator of “Mountain Climbing” a self-help class for diabetics in 1994.
Kay started the Diabetic Educator program at the Fulton County Health Center and received national recognition from the American Diabetes Association for the development of Mountain Climbing self-help class.
After retirement Kay worked as a volunteer at the front desk of FCHC for many years. Kay collaborated with her good friend, Jane Moore, in teaching GED classes in Fulton County.
She was an avid reader, seldom leaving home without a book, and often returning home with more than she left with. She loved to read to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Kay loved attending sporting events for the neighborhood kids, playing board games, attending high school plays, and had a love for the Cleveland Indians, finally being able to see one of their games in 2016.
While Kim and Karin were younger, she was the leader of a Blue Birds/Camp Fire Girls group.
She was an active member of the United Methodist Woman and received their highest service award. She was President of a local chapter, Shepherdess to local churches in the district and Vice President in charge of programming for the Defiance District of the United Methodist Church.
In later years she led a Bible study for women in her home. Kay served as a leader of Jr. Church for children for several years at Liberty Chapel and Beulah UMC.
Kay had a love of singing old hymns and writing poetry; of which she had one poem published in a book of poems. Her love of singing lingers on with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
She was the co-owner with her husband, Kenneth, of Lad’s and Lassie’s Dolls, making reproduction antique dolls and taught doll making classes. Kay would often give programs on dolls at Mother-Daughter banquets.
Kay is survived by her husband of 61 years, Kenneth Ladd; children, Kevin (Meleah) of South Bend, Indiana, Kim (Javier) Lerma of Wauseon, and Karin of Wauseon; brother, Tom Saunders of Florida; nine grandchildren, Kelsey (Luke) Short, Ashley (Zach) Franz, Arryngton, Alasdair, and Aurelia Ladd, Adam (Riley) Lerma, Lucas and Levi Lerma, and Carlos Quintanilla; five great grandchildren, Aiden, Carter, and Emma Franz and Grayson and Alan Short, as well as several nieces and nephews. Kay was preceded in death by her parents and daughter, Kristine.
The family will receive guests on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, 215 N. Fulton St., Wauseon, Ohio. Her funeral service will be Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 11:00 a.m., also at the church, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Pastor Rae Lynn Schleif officiating. Interment will follow at Wauseon Union Cemetery. Fellowship luncheon will follow at Christ United Methodist Church.
Flowers may be delivered to the church on Tuesday between 12:00-3:00 p.m., however, instead of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to the American Diabetes Association or the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), in Kay’s honor.
For additional information and to view Kay’s online obituary, please visit www.churchfuneralsdirect.com.