Kathleen Gay Scarry

Kathleen Gay Scarry was welcomed home to Jesus, surrounded by her seven children on July 11th, 2024 in Folsom, California. She had just turned 78 years old.

Kathleen was the only child born to Charles Bernard Tooker and Beatrice Edna (Nesser) Tooker on July 9th, 1946 in Columbus, Ohio.

Kathleen attended Holy Cross High School in Southern California before she started searching for her purpose in this world. While she explored options to serve through such occupations as hair styling and even the beginnings of Nursing School, she was guided by God’s hand to find the love of her life, with whom she spent over 51 years, her husband Jerry Scarry. They met on a New Year’s Eve blind date thanks to the matchmaking work of Kathleen’s good friend Patricia and Jerry’s younger brother Phil. They were married just a few months later, on May 14th, 1966.

Kathleen had found her calling in life, as a devoted military wife and a nurturing mother. She built a beautiful life with Jerry as they traveled around the United States throughout Jerry’s US Air Force career, beginning their family in California, then traveling to Colorado, back through California to Hawaii, then Arizona, Illinois and finally back to Southern California. 

After serving her duties as a military spouse until Jerry’s retirement in October 1979, Kathleen led the family’s final military relocation to Sacramento, California followed by one last move to Shingle Springs, California where the family home has been maintained to this day. 

As her children grew up and were launched one by one into the world, Kathleen continued to find ways to serve those around her, starting by working at Buckeye Elementary School and then expanding her skills to work as a Patient Care Coordinator at a medical practice in Cameron Park, California.

Kathleen was the most tenacious of mothers, ensuring that her children were always well cared for and loved. She had a passion for gardening (veggies & flowers), sewing (quilts and even clothing by hand!), crocheting (many a stuffed animal), knitting (all sorts of creations) and teaching all of these skills to her children along with needle point, cross stitch, embroidery and latch hook. She could also be found playing with the kids over the years and regarded her children as not only her sons & daughters, but the brothers & sisters she never had. Her tenacity, resilience and sense of humor will never be forgotten and has been instilled in all of her children.

Kathleen is survived by her seven children, Michael, Philip, Joseph, Anne, Andrew, Jennifer and Thomas, and her 17 grandchildren. She will be missed on this earth, but we know she has been welcomed into Heaven and reunited with her beloved Jerry.

Memorial services for Kathleen will be held on Thursday, August 1st, 2024 at St. Stephen the First Martyr Catholic Church, 5461 44th St., Sacramento, CA 95820. A viewing will begin at 9:00am, with a recitation of the Rosary at 9:30am, followed by a funeral mass at 10:00am. The burial will be held that afternoon at 1:15pm at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Rd, Dixon, CA 95620. A reception to celebrate Kathleen’s life will follow immediately back at St. Stephen the First Martyr Catholic Church.

Flowers may be sent to East Lawn Memorial Park, 4300 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95819 no later than 5:00pm on July 31st to be displayed during Kathleen’s memorial services the next day.