Kathy Knorr lived a life with no boundaries, her friends and family said.
The 82-year-old enjoyed tennis and photography and was devoted to serving others in the Wichita community, .
“Throughout her life, Kathy epitomized the true essence of service, demonstrating a servant’s heart by caring for others until her final days,” her obituary read. “Many regarded her as a second mother, evidence of her nurturing spirit.”
Knorr died on March 30 after she was injured in an accident on March 16 in east Wichita. She was turning on to Rock Road from a residential street when her vehicle was struck by an SUV, Wichita police spokesperson Lt. Aaron Moses said.
The driver that struck Knorr, Austin Hedges, 26, of Greeley, Colorado, was charged Friday with one count of involuntary manslaughter, Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Dillon said Monday.
A memorial service for Knorr will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, April 26 at East Heights Methodist Church, 4407 E. Douglas Ave.
Passion for people, sports and photography
Andrea Sullivan, who lives in Dallas, Texas, last saw her mother at the end of February.
“We’d either play tennis, watch tennis or go see my daughter who is a varsity tennis player in Dallas,” Sullivan said. “She kind of took it up later in life and just really had a passion for it.”
Knorr also enjoyed Pilates, skeet shooting, fishing and photography.
Vicky Reiff, a close friend who went to elementary school with Knorr, said she loved photographing wildflowers.
Reiff owns property in the Flint Hills, and Knorr would come to visit.
“She was always late because she was stopping all along the way to take photos of wildflowers that she would see,” Reiff said. “I have a lot of her photographs framed on my walls and so does my son.”
Hellen Galloway, another close friend of Knorr’s, said she would develop photos of wildflowers and send them to people.
“She was this artist that would go to the mountains every summer to take pictures of wildflowers,” Galloway said.
A people person, Knorr served on boards or was a member for Mark Arts, Wichita Music Club, Junior League of Wichita and Daughters of the American Revolution.
“She just had a warm and giving heart that overflowed to so many avenues in her life,” Sullivan said.
‘An angel on earth’
Sullivan, Reiff and Galloway reflected on their memories of time spent with Knorr. Each with a different tone, Galloway and Reiff echoed “angel.”
Asked about a fond memory of Knorr, Galloway said that “she could write a book on them.”
“I don’t know how else to describe her, except this person who loved playing tennis and was incredible to everyone,” Galloway said. “She was an angel on earth.”
“She was beautiful in appearance and very kind,” former Wichita Eagle reporter and columnist Bonnie Bing said of Knorr.
Sullivan said her mother had the ability to uplift others during hard times.
“Something I always remember is that she would always be able to find joy in any circumstance,” Sullivan said. “So whether you’re having a rough day, a challenge at school or a relationship, she would always find the good and kind of turn the situation around.”
Galloway said in the weeks following the crash she has received phone calls from across the country about Knorr.
“She was what everybody else would love to be and can’t be,” Galloway said. “I loved her.”
Knorr is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Andrea and Edward Sullivan; granddaughters Anna Katharine Sullivan and Ellie Sullivan; brother Bob Houston; sisters-in-law Ruth Houston and Susan Houston; niece and husband, Kristine and Marshall McCallum; nephews and wives, Bob and Ashley Houston and Jon and Amanda Houston, and their children.