Kay Randall Playter

Kay Randall Playter of College Station, Texas died peacefully at the age of 85 on Thursday, July 16, 2020. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She will be deeply missed.

Kay Randall was born on March 7, 1935 in Ashland, Kansas, the only daughter of Lowell and Madge Randall. She was raised on a ranch in western Kansas and had three brothers, Philip, Richard and John Paul. During her early years, she attended school in Sitka, Kansas, riding a horse to catch the school bus. She graduated from Ashland High School in 1953. The following year she attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas in a Medical Technician curriculum. Kay’s older brother, Philip introduced Kay to his friend and future husband Robert (Bob) Playter in the fall of 1954 and they immediately became a couple.

Bob was drafted into the US Army and following basic and advanced training was re-assigned to a base near Mannheim, Germany. Knowing her own mind, Kay was strong willed and wouldn’t let Bob go to Germany a single man. To quote her, “you are not going to Germany alone with all those frauleins”. They were married in the chapel at Kansas State University on November 10, 1955. Bob almost immediately shipped out and Kay continued her studies at Kansas State until June 1956 when she flew to Germany to join him. She loved the travel opportunities in the “old Brown Bastard” (a 50’s vintage Opel) seeing parts of Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. They returned to the US in the spring of 1957 and made their home in Manhattan, Kansas.

Over the next few years three children were born; Lynn Alice, Jodi Kay and Robert Randall. In 1970 they moved to College Station, Texas. A wonderful mother and homemaker, as the children grew Kay sought other outlets for her energy and began selling real estate for Homefinder’s Realty. Her warm and friendly personality, hard work and high ethical standards soon made her quite successful. Kay moved to Brazosland Realty and in December 1978 was installed as the President of the Bryan-College Station Board of Realtors in recognition of, and as a high compliment to her real estate skills.

Kay was a graduate of the Texas Realtors Institute, a member of the Texas and National Associations of Realtors and the Brazos Valley Development Committee. In the early 1980’s, looking for change, Kay took a position as an Administrative Coordinator in the TAMU Development Foundation. Enjoying the academic setting she enrolled at TAMU in a curriculum in Horticulture. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree, Summa Cum Laude in 1994 after a 40 year hiatus from her previous academic studies.

After relocating to a small ranch near Brenham, Texas Kay went to work at the Antique Rose Emporium near Independence, Texas and was a volunteer for Hospice Brazos Valley. She had a love for flowers, gardening and a “green thumb” as well as a knack for cultivating flowers, vegetables and roses which were her favorite. She spent much of her time happily working in her garden and flower beds, and enjoyed completing a Master Gardeners course.

Kay’s other passion was quilting, which she patiently and happily designed, making quilts for all her family. These lovely creations will stay as family heirlooms and a constant reminder of her warmth and love.

Kay was a lovely person, with a bright and cheerful personality. Her warm, loving smile and infectious laugh was recognizable above all others in a crowded room. You couldn’t be around her and not smile and maybe even giggle a little. She loved her family and was a caring companion and friend to all.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother Philip Randall.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert F. Playter of College Station, Texas, her daughter Lynn Playter of Bastrop, Texas; her daughter Jodi Mitchell of College Station, and her son Robert Paradissis Playter and wife Joy of Billerica, MA. She is also survived by her brothers, Richard Randall and his wife Glenda of Scott City, Kansas and John Paul Randall and his wife Joelle of Alva Oklahoma. She has four grand-daughters, Kayci Lynn Nehring of Rosebud-Lott, Texas , Carly Jo Mitchell of Cedar Springs, Texas, Kalitha Paradissis Playter of Burlington, Vermont and Katherine Paradissis Playter of Boston, MA. There are four great-grandchildren, Tanner, Travis and Tayson Nehring of Rosebud-Lott, Texas and Charlie Kay Dillon Cedar Springs, Texas.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice Brazos Valley, Alzheimer’s Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871, or Ashland Community Foundation, P.O. Box 276, Ashland, KS 67831.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Sunny Stern and Monique Rogers of Caring Companions and to Hospice Brazos Valley for their patient and loving care.

Due to the current Covid-19 environment the family will observe a private ceremony in Ashland, Kansas in the near future.

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