Laurens – Kathleen I. Parsons, 75, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and aunt passed away on October 30, 2023 at the NYS Veterans Home in Oxford.

She was born November 21, 1947 in Sidney, the daughter of Raoul and Belle (Mendenhall) Ihrie. Kathleen married Richard E. Parsons on July 19, 1969 in Sidney.

She graduated from Sidney High School and then received her Registered Nurse degree from Binghamton General. After her sons were born, she continued her education at Hartwick College graduating with a BS in Nursing.

Kathleen started her nursing career in Sidney, shortly after, started at Faxton Hospital in Utica followed by Community General Hospital in Syracuse. She settled in her forever home in Laurens with her husband, Richard, where she worked for Otsego County Public Health, was an Employee Health Nurse at A.O. Fox Hospital, and retired from Broome Developmental Center. Shortly after retirement, she began working at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

She was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Laurens. She volunteered at Planned Parenthood, and with Bassett's No One Dies Alone program later in life. While furthering her degree at Hartwick College, she enrolled in photography where she fell in love with a pastime her late father had once enjoyed. While seemingly reserved, she had an adventurous soul, regularly water skiing, winter skiing, camping, and enjoying the outdoors. She took opportunities to go skydiving, parasailing, hot air ballooning, fly a glider, and at 70 was able to cross ziplining at Hunter Mountain off her bucket-list.

She is survived by her husband, Richard E. Parsons of Laurens; her sons, Stephen (Katlyn) Parsons of Haverhill, MA, and Andrew (Alicia) Parsons of Horseheads; grandchildren, Finley, Rylie, and Ethan; her sister, Maureen (Jack) VerPlanck of Norton Hill; as well as several nieces and nephews.

The celebration of life service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 1, 2024 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 125 Main St., Laurens, with the Rev. Paul Messner, officiating.  The committal service with the Nurse's Honor Guard will follow at the Laurens Village Cemetery.

Please join the family for a BBQ to share memories and laughs, honoring and celebrating the wonderful life of Kathy at the Laurens American Legion, 11 Main Street, Laurens, following the burial.

The family would like to encourage all to wear red, Kathy's favorite color, and/or any bright-colored casual clothing.

The family would also like to extend a special Thank You to The New York State Veterans Home at Oxford. Where the care, compassion, and expertise of the staff make it a truly special place.

Donations may be made to St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 125 County Road 11, Laurens, NY 13796, or to Alzheimer's Association, 140 Highway 33 West, Suite 2, Cooperstown, NY, 13326.

Online condolences may be sent to, www.lhpfuneralhome.com, the website of Oneonta's only family-owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono at 51 Dietz Street.