April 8, 1938 – March 20, 2025
Kay Annette Blessing, mother, and grandmother
Olean- Kay Annette Blessing, of Olean, passed away Thursday, March 20, 2025, at Olean General Hospital after a brief illness, surrounded by her family.
Kay was born on April 8, 1938, in North Hornell. She was the daughter of the late Earl E. and Violet W (Whitford) Brown.
She graduated from Wellsville High School, got her RN Nursing Degree from Syracuse in 1959, and was licensed in California in 1960. Kay was a wonderful caring nurse and worked in the nursing field her entire career. She worked for St. Francis Hospital for years; also worked for Dr. Dusset and was Dr. McFarland’s pediatric nurse for many years at the Olean Medical Group. Kay worked at Dresser-Rand as a Nurse and also worked for several years at the Olean General Hospital.
Kay was a devoted member of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Allegany. In her free time, she enjoyed gardening and spending time with her family and the rescue pets that she adored, a dog “Molly” and a stray cat “Casper”.
She enjoyed her yearly trips to Florida to visit her son Brian and his family when he was in the service near Ft. Walton Beach. Kay was always the loudest cheerleader for her son Billy while he played sports in high school, and continued that tradition with her grandchildren. She loved to entertain her very dear friends Kay and Carl Kieffer, also, Joan and Fran Hill, who are Godparents to both her sons.
Surviving are two sons she adored, Brian (Emma) Blessing of New Mexico, and William (Vicki) Blessing of Olean; several grandchildren, Nicholas Blessing, Brittney (Chris) Laffey, and Matthew Blessing, all of Colorado, Samantha Reyes of New Mexico, Bryce Blessing and Kylie Blessing, both of Olean; several great-grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy (Duane) Cornish; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Earl and Violet; two brothers, Ward Brown and Earl (aka Buster) Brown; and a sister, Phylis Graves.
Family will receive family and friends on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Guenther Funeral Home, Inc., 1303 E. State St. Olean, with a funeral service starting at 6 pm in the funeral home, The Rev. Gerald F. laFeber will officiate. Burial will be in the Stannards Cemetery in Wellsville.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cattaraugus County SPCA and Allegany County SPCA in her memory.
Online condolences may be expressed at guentherfh.com
