Obituary of Kay Joan Reddi

On the morning of Friday, January 17, 2020, in Camas, Washington, Kay Joan Reddi passed away peacefully at the age of 82. She was born the youngest child to Edward Rudolph Burke and Molfred Gorwina Smith on April 12, 1937, in Seattle, Washington where she was primarily raised through her early teens. Kay transferred at the end of her sophomore year from Cleveland High School in Seattle to Oakland High School in Oakland, California where she graduated in 1955. She was an avid reader and lifelong learner, attending the University of Hawaii, Honolulu and taking courses at community colleges in Washington and California. She studied to become a court stenographer for many years in San Francisco, and she earned a certificate in entrepreneurship and small business at Seattle Vocational Institute. She lived in both Washington and California most of her life but also resided in Hawaii and in Italy for short periods. Her main job and purpose in life were to raise her five children. Prior to having a family, Kay worked for Greyhound Lines and as a telephone operator. After her kids became teenagers, she worked as a secretary in a civil engineering firm in Seattle, as security personnel at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and as a retail clerk. Kay was an intelligent woman, with a quirky sense of humor, cautious yet friendly and seemingly always open to chit chat with strangers. Her favorite pastimes were collecting books and reading primarily non-fiction about such topics as the history of man and earth, psychology, and the afterlife. She loved a cup of strong coffee and a sweet at any hour. Savoring a bowl of hot popcorn or potato chips while watching tv crime shows were her guilty pleasures. Some of her other enjoyments included thrift store shopping, beadwork, researching genealogy, working jigsaw puzzles, taking road trips, and walking in the fresh air. Spending time with her family brought her the most joy. Kay married Venumbaka Gopala Krishna Reddi, a graduate student from India, with whom she had five children. They were married from 1962 to 1969. She leaves behind her son Raj Reddi and daughter-in-law Terry Intlekofer, her daughter Kamala and son-in-law Jan Buckowski, her daughter Anasuya and son-in-law Michael Polacek (grandchildrenL Josef and India), her daughter Pramela Reddi and son-in-law Jordan Fein (grandchildren: Dilan and Mira), and her daughter Sheila and son-in-law Michael Palomo (grandchildrenL Gabriel and Alyssa). She is survived by her brother Carl John Burke and her half-sister Connie Belle Broz. She was predeceased by her father Edward Rudolph Burke, her mother Molfred Gorwina Dean, her sister Carlene Janet Burke and died as a toddler in 1935, anbd her brother Roderick Edward Burke who lived a long life and passed away in 2014. Kay will be missed and remembered by her family and friends whose lives she touched, Her children will hold a Celebration of Life in Washington in the coming year.