Kathleen (Kathy) L. Calhoun

     Kathleen (Kathy) L Calhoun passed peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, March 10th surrounded by love. She was preceded by beloved husband Larry (2019). She was proud mother to Patrick (Missi) and Ammy to Max, Olivia and Grace. Dog Mom to many. 

     She was born April 1st, 1944, and grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan, the 1st born to George and Dorothy Watts, sister to William (Betty).  She graduated from Kimball High School, Royal Oak, Michigan in 1962.  

     Kathy loved helping others. She started out as a nurse’s aide in Royal Oak’s Beaumont Hospital where she met future husband Larry Calhoun, a young doctor’s aide. They soon got married. The couple purchased a home in Pontiac, Michigan, and not long after, relocated to Flint to start their family. Son Patrick was born in 1968.  

     In December 1972, the family relocated to Chagrin Falls, Ohio. While Larry was advancing in the overhead crane industry, Kathy devoted herself to being a full-time mother. Eventually, she decided to re-enter the workforce, beginning as the manager of The Boot Depot, formerly located in the old Bainbridge Mall. With an entrepreneurial spirit, she later opened The Coat Closet, selling shearling coats from her home. 

     During the 1980’s and 90’s, Kathy took on new roles, working first at Peter’s Store for Men and then at Peter’s Store for Women (now known as Toni) in town. In the later years of her career, Kathy’s passion for helping others drew her back to service-oriented work. She founded Earley Care, an elder care service, where she dedicated herself to assisting and advocating for others until she was no longer physically able to do so. 

     Kathy represented everything good in this world and had a great sense of humor. The eternal optimist, she was kind and made people feel welcome. She put others first and was ever loyal to those she cared about. Family and friendship were everything to her. She loved being a Mother and Dog Mom, but mostly a Grandmother. She adored her grandchildren. 

     She also valued tradition. Kathy enjoyed her summers on Higgins Lake in northern Michigan with annual family reunions. She also looked forward to spring’s yearly pilgrimage down to MerleFest, a large music festival in the mountains of North Carolina.  However, her favorite time of year was Christmas, in large part due to her traditional Christmas Eve parties and gift exchanges where family and friends would gather to celebrate. 

     Anyone who knew her knows that Kathy collected pigs. Pictures of pigs, ceramic pigs, cast iron pigs, plastic pigs, pig statues, pig bowls, pig mugs, pig serving trays, piggy banks, PIGS, PIGS, PIGS! Too many to count! If it had a pig on it, she had it. That being said, she also loved bacon. 

     Kathy was a devoted fan of both the Cleveland Browns and Indians. She rarely missed a game, following her teams with unwavering enthusiasm through every season. Even though she often experienced the familiar end-of-season letdown, she remained loyal, never losing her sense of humor about their ups and downs. Kathy also enjoyed a bit of friendly rivalry within the family, frequently making ice cream bets with her cousin Joe, an Angels fan. These playful wagers added a special touch of fun to the games and reflected her love of friendly competition and togetherness. 

     Kathy and her famous brownies will be missed by many. Should you wish to honor her memory, the family asks that (in lieu of flowers) donations be made to The Wounded Warriors Project, T2T, St. Jude or your LOCAL dog shelter (please not ASPCA).  Arrangements by Stroud-Lawrence Funeral Home. Celebration of life to be held at Pine Lake Trout Club in Bainbridge, Ohio Sunday, April 12th from noon to 4pm. 

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