Kathleen "Kay" Lapp James, age 74 of Wisconsin Dells, WI passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
A memorial service for Kathleen will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at Big Spring Congregational Church (373 Golden Ct, Wisconsin Dells) at 11:00 AM with Reverend Robert Hetzel presiding. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until the time of the service at 11:00 AM. Kathleen will be laid to rest following the service at the Big Spring Cemetery next to her son John James.
Kathleen was born on May 10, 1950, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The daughter of Ivan and Lilian (Colburn) Lapp. She attended Big Spring grade school through eighth grade and graduated in 1968 from Wisconsin Dells High School. Kay received her Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and received her Master's degree from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern in 1979. She was a reporter for the Seneca News in Seneca, South Carolina, where she met her husband, Randall James. They had one son, John Ivan James. Kay went on to work for a company in Atlanta which published medical newsletters. Kay returned to Wisconsin and later started a business, the "Words". She later was employed by the Portage Daily Register and became Editor of both the Daily Register and Wisconsin Dells Events until her retirement. She taught journalism classes at the UW Extension campus in Baraboo.
In her retirement she volunteered with the Friends of the Kilbourn Public Library and was a member of the Dells Country Historical Society and Tuesday Club. She also served on the boards of the Friends of the HH Bennett Studio and Beacon House. She was a proud member of the Big Spring Congregational Church.
Kathleen is survived by her sister Marilyn (Larry) Belter and sister-in-law Mary Lapp; her nephews Justin (Megan) Lapp and Dustin (Jennifer) Lapp; niece Kristina Lapp (William Nadeau), and her great-nieces Anna, Josephine and Iris Lapp. She is preceded in death by her parents, son John and brother Lawrence Lapp.