Kathy Crosier

Kathleen “Kathy” Crosier, a cherished wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully the evening of Sunday, May 12, 2024, at her home in Arizona.

Kathy loved growing up on Kingshighway in St. Louis. The bus route went by her house. Kathy and her siblings would frequently take the bus exploring and go ice skating, visit Forest Park and the Fox Theatre to see matinee movies.

As a teenager, Kathy and her sister, Karen, would volunteer at the SLARC Summer Camp for special needs children. They drove the bus, picked up youngsters and helped with the children’s activities. This would become Kathy’s life work, which she loved.

Kathy graduated Lindbergh High School in 1964 with honors and then went on to University of Missouri-Columbia, enrolling in elementary education. There she met Larry Crosier, and in her junior year, Larry and Kathy married. Despite operating on a strict budget as married students, they completed college. Some of Kathy’s best memories were entertaining friends and busting the weekly food budget.

Soon after college, Larry entered the military, and Kathy went with him to Georgia, where she taught special education. While Larry was based in Augsburg, Germany, Kathy taught there at the Army’s dependent children’s school. During that time, Kathy was able to travel to see the Vatican and energize her Catholic faith.

After Germany, Larry went to Vietnam, and Kathy went to St. Louis with a new son, Kevin, where she lived close to her mother. Kathy loved being a mom and spent any free time reading her Dr. Spock book.

Vietnam came and went, and Kathy moved to Cape Girardeau and began teaching first grade at Washington School. Kathy furthered her education at Southeast Missouri State University and then started her life’s work with special needs children at New Dawn State School in Sikeston. The students at New Dawn loved going to school, and Kathy loved being there. She cherished all the memories of those children. Any improvement meant an exciting day for the staff.

When Kathy wasn’t working, her life was filled with her own children’s activities, everything from time at the soccer field, T-ball, bike racing with Scott and a variety of dancing classes and ice skating lessons with Amy and finding Cabbage Patch dolls with her new neighbor from Japan who didn’t speak English — Kathy could do international sign language. She loved going camping with her family and friends. She was very generous with her time with her family and friends. She loved being a wife, mom, teacher and friend.

Kathy was blessed with seven grandchildren and four stepgrandchildren. Some of the younger ones got to experience Kathy's skill of “expert potty training". She loved going to Mass and watching her children participate in youth programs at St. Vincent's Catholic Church. Dinner theater and musical productions were her absolute favorite.

In her retirement, she loved reading and an occasional movie. Her handmade quilts have become a family favorite. She was always searching for material for the next great quilt. She was a master at this, and she accumulated a nice stash.

Kathy’s friends and family will say she was caring, honest, patient, generous, loving and a real joy to be around. Her zest and love for life is a testament to the legacy she leaves behind in her family. Kathy made the world a better place. She will be loved forever and missed dearly.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Larry Crosier; her sons, Kevin Crosier (Facunda) and Scott Crosier (Tracie); daughter, Amy Blackman (Brad); and several grandchildren, Ethan, Madeline, Brielle, Blake, Brady, Landrie and Cally, along with stepgrandchildren, Christian, Kate, Aurora and Zahira; Kathy’s sisters, Karen Faris, Chris Hardwick and Noreen Elkins (Ernie); her brothers, Mike Beffa (Carlene) and Tim Beffa (Jeanne); and several nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Norbert and Marcella Beffa.

A private family graveside service will be held at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston. The Rev. David Dohogne, pastor of St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston, will officiate.

Interment will follow under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

Family and friends are invited to gather at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at the home of Kathy’s daughter, Amy Crosier Blackman, 1122 Trailridge Drive in Jackson for a celebration of Kathy’s life.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to the American Cancer Society.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.