Obituary of Noreen Vee Hicken Kay

Noreen Vee Hicken Kay, age 86, passed away peacefully in Lacey, Washington, on February 1, 2019. She loved her family and had many friends.  She was always busy reading, cross stitching, or sewing.  She cherished her memories of bowling and working at Lacey Lanes.

She was born on December 14, 1932, in Heber City, Utah, to John Errol and Deon Clyde Hicken. She was raised a cattleman’s daughter in the beautiful Heber Valley of Utah.  She enjoyed her time at Wasatch High School, where she excelled in academics and band and being around friends.  She enjoyed it so much so that she would volunteer to be on or lead the committees of the Class of 1951 reunions. She studied Physical Education at the University of Utah.  She met the love of her life, Richard Kay, at the university, where they began a lifetime of adventure and travel in work assignments across the U.S. and the world.    

Her devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ was evident through her lifetime of service as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She was very proud of her heritage and was a long-time member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, serving as treasurer and president in the Puget Sound Company. In her later years, she served as an ordinance worker in the Seattle Temple.   

She is survived by her husband, Richard Kay; children, Michael Kay (Vicki), Valerie Johnson (Gregg) and Edward Kay (Lisa).  She reluctantly leaves 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by oldest son, Gordon; parents, John Errol and Deon Clyde Hicken; sister, Ruth Louise Rasmussen; and brothers, Quentin and Jerrol Hicken.  Oh, how wonderful the reunion was with the family!

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the Lacey Stake Center, 1602 Ruddell Road SE, Lacey, WA 98503 at 11:00 a.m.  The family will receive guests beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Stake Center.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. 

Burial was in the Masonic Memorial Park in Tumwater next to her son, Gordon.