Kathleen Rae Buffington, 76, of Lawrence, Kansas, passed away on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The family will receive friends on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrence.
Kathy was born on July 14, 1948, in Deadwood, South Dakota, the daughter of Lowell and Beatrice (Karinen) Treloar. On August 3, 1965, she married the love of her life, Gary Buffington, in Hot Springs, South Dakota. He survives at their home in Lawrence.
Kathy dedicated her life to her family and her faith in God. She was the heart of her family, steadfast in keeping everyone together and cared for. She poured her love into her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and her home was always a place of warmth, laughter, and acceptance. Kathy brought positive energy into every room she entered — her smile, kindness, and sense of humor lifted the spirits of everyone around her. She always had time to listen, to offer words of encouragement, and to make each person feel valued. She treated everyone with respect and grace, whether family, friend, or stranger, and she left a lasting impression on all who knew her. Her love for others was unconditional, freely given and felt by all who were blessed to know her.
She is survived by her children: Katherine Ives (Allan Truskauskas), Lowell Buffington, and Gary Buffington Jr. (Jon Neely); her brother, Michael Treloar, and sister-in-law, Jean; her grandchildren: Vanessa Eiker (James), Audrey Caro Ives (Chris), Gage Buffington (Caroline), and Benjamin Buffington (Victoria Fast); and her great-grandchildren: Nolan Eiker, Makenna Eiker, Raegan Eiker, Lana Caro, Landon Caro, Lucas Caro, Ezra Couch, and Elliot Couch.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lowell and Beatrice Treloar, and her son, James Lowell Buffington.
Memorial contributions in Kathy’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Lawrence Humane Society and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kathleen Rae Buffington, please visit our flower store.Warren-McElwain Mortuary & Cremation Services
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