Kathleen Kelly Fiquet was born May 23, 1925, to Sherriff Harry S. Kelly Sr. and Bessie Williams Kelly in Houston, Mo. Kathleen graduated from Houston High School in 1943, Christian College (Columbia College) in Columbia, Mo., in 1945 with an AA degree, then completed her BS in Education from the University of Missouri in 1947.
Kathleen, known to her students as “Kelly,” was a physical education teacher from 1947 to 1952. She taught at Central High School and Hosea School, both located in Saint Joseph, Mo.
In 1951, Kathleen married Louis A. Fiquet Jr., and they bought the Mumford & Hanna insurance agency, which became Fiquet Insurance and Realty, later known as McWilliams, Burnham, Dickens and Fiquet Independent Insurance Agents of Saint Joseph, Mo..
The Williams-Kelly-Fiquet families of Texas County have been in property management for over a hundred years. Kathleen had a life-long love of fixing up old rental houses. She loved to “envision” older properties revitalized. She was also the owner of Fiquet Farm and Realty, Peoples’ Home and Savings, Kelly Home Decorations and Horseshoe Lake Sports Complex. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Saint Joseph, Mo., Saint Joseph Country Club and Junior League.
Kathleen was an avid golfer and spent much of her time on the green or in the back yard teaching her grandchildren the proper swing. Kathleen was also a member, past president and board member of the Missouri Women’s Golf Association for 20+ years. She won many women’s regional golf tournaments and placed first in the Women’s Saint Joseph Regional Golf tournament twice.
Kathleen was an active member in the St. Joseph Junior League and portrayed the much-loved pixie-like character “Bobby Buttons” before many of the plays performed by the Junior League for children of the St. Joseph schools.
Kathleen is survived by children and spouses, Dr. Louis A. Fiquet III and Jeanne of Bevier, Mo., son Marc L. Fiquet of St. Joseph, Mo., and daughter Renee Fiquet-Freeman and Mark of Sedalia, Mo. She is survived by six grandsons, a granddaughter and two great-grandchildren.
The family invites you to come to our mother, grandmother, friend and advisor’s farewell with a glad heart for a life wonderfully lived.
Visitation and funeral arrangements are through Evans Funeral Home, Houston, Mo. Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, and the funeral is 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31. Renee Fiquet-Freeman will officiate.
The family asks in lieu of flowers, you might donate to Asceracare Hospice, 102 S. 5th, St. Joseph, Mo., the First Presbyterian Church of St. Joseph, 301 N. Jules, St. Joseph, Mo., 64501 or the Texas County Library. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.evansfh.com.