Kathryn Ruth O’Brien

Kathryn "Kathy" Ruth O'Brien, age 61, passed away peacefully on Tuesday January 1, 2019 at her home in Topeka, Kansas surrounded by her family.  She was born December 18, 1957, in Kansas City, Missouri to Maxwell and Kathryn O'Brien.

Kathy was a passionate advocate that enjoyed serving vulnerable populations.  She focused her time on being a Guardian for many individuals to whom she became close with. She organized and participated in many fundraising events for organizations such as The Capper Foundation, Toys for Tots and ABATE of Kansas.  Kathy had a special love for working with children.  Most of her career was spent as a daycare provider, helping to guide and raise children.  Her daycare children often called her Grandma as she became a fixture within their families.  She was active in the Kansas City Renaissance Festival where she played roles as a story teller, the old woman in the shoe, and keeper of the sand garden.  Kathy's faith and spirituality were an important foundation of her life.  She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where she served in the primary, as a Sunday school teacher and with the young women.  Service was a large part of Kathy's life, she never thought twice about giving her time when it was needed and felt she was called to this Earth to be an example to "love and take care of one another".  She would often dream big and lived by the motto that "everything is figure-out-able", which is a value she made sure to pass on to the people in her life.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents Maxwell and Kathryn O'Brien of Overland Park and father in law Alfred Stiner.  She is survived by her life partner, Ron Stiner; children, Katie Hazelwood, Chrissy Rivers, (daughter in-law) Juwanna Rivers, Steven Burns, Carrie Burns and Zoey O'Brien Stiner; her grandchildren, Anthony Hazelwood, Renay Hazelwood, Erika Hazelwood, Maxx Stiner, Tristan Traphagen, Lenin Russell, Mila Sims and her great grandchildren; LJ Hazelwood, and Lakhi Hazelwood, sons of Renay Hazelwood.  She is also survived by her four brothers, Dan O'Brien, Tim O'Brien, Rob O'Brien, Tom O'Brien and her family in law; Faye Stiner, Rod and Danielle Stiner and Roger Stiner.

Kathy's funeral service will be held on Saturday January 5, 2019 at 11am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2401 SW Kingsrow Rd, Topeka, Kansas.