Clay Center resident Kathleen “Kay” Rose Springer, 95, passed away Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Providence Place of Hastings, surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, March 21, 2024, at McLaughlin Funeral Chapel (New Building, 204 W. Johnson Street) in Clay Center, with Pastor Kathy Uldrich officiating. Interment will follow at the Clay Center Cemetery in Clay Center. Memorial contributions may be directed to the donor’s choice or to the family to be designated later. Condolences may be left at www.mclaughlinchapel. com.

Kay was born on Jan. 7, 1929, in Rural Kearney County to Raymond and Elsie (Schluntz) Schubert. Kay was a caring, generous, and God-fearing individual who cherished her family above all else.

Kay grew up in Wilcox, attending rural school and Wilcox High School. She then went to Kearney State College and obtained her teaching degree. She taught in rural schools in Ragan and Sacramento County in Nebraska.

She married Donald L. Springer of Kearney on July 27, 1952. They moved to Clay Center in 1961 where they owned and operated Clay Center Locker Plant and Grocery. They later purchased Springer Market. She sold the store in 1990 and retired, caring for her elderly parents in their final years. Her children often joked she needed to go back to work, so they would know where she was.

Kay had a passion for serving her community. One of her greatest accomplishments was achieved in 2018 when she donated her 25th gallon of blood. Kay volunteered at the Clay Center Food Pantry for several years. She was a certified instructor for the Laubach Literacy Action program teaching illiterate adults to read. Her greatest pride was sewing quilts in the church basement for World Relief and later for military personnel located overseas.

Kay was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hildreth. When she moved, she became a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Clay Center, where she found solace and community.

In her free time, Kay enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, sewing, quilting, embroidery, playing cards, and tending to her yard. She found joy in the simple pleasures of life and treasured every moment with her loved ones.

Kay is survived by her daughters, Nancy Springer of Ashland City, TN, Brenda (Bob) Leaper of Cortland, Carol (James) Cooper of Paragould, AR, and Jean Ann Springer, and her friend, Mike Hitchcock, of Clay Center; eight grandchildren: Colton Applebee, Donnie, Rachael, Sam, and Anthony Griess, Roderick Fitzke, Joshua (Kellee) Springer, and Kathy (Brandon) Kelley; step-grandsons, Thomas, Preston, and Chris Cooper and Matthew Leaper; she was blessed with 22 great-grandchildren; her twin brother, Clayton of Holdrege; sisters, Delores (Franklin) Carlson of Holdrege, NE; Marjean (Max) Schultz of Oxford; sister-in-law, Willa Wininger of Hastings; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 32 years, Donald Springer; her parents, Raymond and Elsie Schubert; her parentsin- law, Lewis and Millie Springer; sisters-in-law, Grace Schubert and Florence Karenbauer; brothers-in-law, Willard and Marion Springer; and nephews, Mark Schubert, Robert Olexo and Jack Karenbauer.