Katherine "Kay" L. Sleater

Katherine “Kay” Sleater passed away October 27, 2024 at the age of 95. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri on August 17, 1929, to Joseph and Catherine Langen. She attended St. Louis University, where she met her husband, and proudly finished her degree at Newman University (formally Sacred Heart College) after the birth of her fifth child. Which, as Kay loved to tell, included taking her final exams in the maternity ward - hand delivered by the nuns.

Kay met Arthur “Art” Sleater at a bus stop in St Louis coming home from class. He was the love of her life. They were married in the summer of 1950, had five children, and lived in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. When Art retired, the two of them traveled the world. They took their first cruise on their 25th anniversary and got the travel bug. Visiting countries across six continents, with a great group of friends joining for many of their journeys. They were married for 46 years until Art’s passing in 1996. She always lit up when telling stories about him.

Kay’s friends were a central part of her life. She met with the same bridge group for decades, which started as a “newcomers to Indianapolis” group in the 1960s. Which is where she met Joan, a great friend who she continued to travel the world with well into her 80s.

As an avid reader, Kay’s regular book club was also a special group of friends in her life. As were the other members of the St. Augustine guild, who all got together on Mondays to make beds at St. Augustine’s Home for the Aged (also well into her 80s).

Kay leaves behind her children, Kathleen MacKenzie, Michael Sleater, Bridget (David) Bright, Elizabeth (Ray) Lawson, and Joe Sleater. Along with her grandchildren, Inez (Greg) McNeely, Meghan (Kyle) Reasner, Katie Lawson, Melissa Sleater and Patrick Sleater, and great-grandchildren, Hannah and Hailey Reasner.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and son-in-law, Michael (Mac) MacKenzie.

Kay had a long life filled with love and friends and travel. She will be dearly missed.

Visitation for Kay will be from 10:30 - 11:30 am on Monday November 4th at St. Luke Catholic Church (7575 Holliday Drive East). A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:30am.

If you’d like to make a donation in her honor, please make it to St. Vincent dePaul (svdpindy.org) or Little Sisters of The Poor (littlesistersofthepoor.org). 

Our family is especially grateful for the wonderful people at Traditions at North Willow, who were so welcoming when Kay moved there and have helped us in countless ways these past two years.