Kathryn Kay Adams

Kathryn Kay Adams, 80, of Lubbock, loving wife of Michael Adams for over 60 years, passed away peacefully early Wednesday morning, March 11, 2026, from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

Kathryn was born on November 14, 1945, in Sour Lake, Texas, to the late Floyd Joseph Harkins and Hazel (Walker) Harkins. Kathryn attended Hardin-Jefferson High School, in Sour Lake, Texas, and graduated with the senior class of 1964. She married Michael Adams in the summer of 1965 embracing the life of a military wife, which included several moves across the U.S. before the couple eventually settled back in their Southeast Texas hometown.

Kathryn worked for many years as a Bell telephone switchboard operator in Houston, Tx, Washington, D.C., and Long Beach, California before joining the United States Postal Service, retiring in 2012. She was a proud and courageous breast cancer survivor whose Christian faith, Southern hospitality, and determined spirit was evident to all who met her. Kathryn never met a stranger and had a way of making everyone feel like family, usually with a warm smile, a big hug, and a very good story. She enjoyed stamp and coin collecting, hand stitching, and collecting antique Christmas ornaments. Deeply interested in genealogy, she did many years of extensive research tracing her family history finding connections to numerous historical people and events.

Kay, alongside her closest friends, was instrumental in developing a cookbook of Cajun recipes for her community and her church home, China United Methodist Church. According to her family, she baked a mean cherry cheesecake always doubling the recipe with “one to eat and one to share”.

She dearly loved her family and her grandchildren and proudly proclaimed the title of the best “Grammie” in the whole wide world. Those left to honor and cherish her memory include her husband, Michael Adams of Lubbock, Tx; daughter, Erika Lee Brimberry and husband John Brimberry, Jr. also of Lubbock, Tx; three grandchildren: Josie Colette Brimberry, Callie Piper Brimberry and Brilee Addison Brimberry; brother, Floyd Harkins, Jr. and wife Aleece Harkins of Hondo, Tx. Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents and two sisters and brother-in-laws: Frances and Neal Burrell and Vivian and H.V. Stines.

“Aunt Kay” was beloved by many cousins, nieces and nephews on both her and Mickey’s side of the family, as well as, great nieces and nephews, all of whom were very dear to her. She will also be remembered by many close community and life long friends, as well as, former work colleagues.

No local services are planned at this time. The family will gather at a later date for a private graveside service. For those who wish to honor Kathryn’s memory, the family requests donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741.