Kay Olga Gaertner, 90, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on November 17, 2024.  Kay was predeceased by her loving husband Harold after nearly 70 years of marriage.  Kay is survived by her son Brian Gaertner and her two daughters: Denise Patregnani and Gretel Crison.  She is also survived by eight loving grandchildren: Kayla Patregnani, Alyssa Gaertner, Kelsey Gaertner, Rylee Patregnani, Randi Patregnani, Cole Crison, Juno Crison, and Tom Crison.

Kay grew up in Michigan and married her high school sweetheart, Harold.  He was class president and she was class secretary.  She worked for a major radio station in Detroit and later for the East Detroit School District Superintendent.

She put her career on hold while she raised her three children.  When she and Harold decided to move north from the Detroit area to Oscoda, Michigan, they lived in a tent for two months while Harold built a house from scratch.  During that time Kay ran the household, cooking all family meals on a camp stove with water supplied by a hand-pump well.

Kay enjoyed theater, musicals, and piano. She loved being involved in her community, leading a Girl Scout troop and teaching piano in her home in her spare time. She also developed a passion for ice skating, pursuing lessons in ice dancing and performing with other skaters in local ice shows.  When her children were older, she enrolled at Eastern Michigan University and earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Education.  After graduation, she obtained a teaching position at West Bloomfield High School in the Business Education Department.  She remained at West Bloomfield for her entire teaching career, instructing subjects ranging from Keyboard to Computers to Business Law.

Upon retirement Kay and Harold moved to one of their favorite places: Marco Island, Florida.  She enjoyed the "island life," living among the pristine live-shell beaches and abundant sea creatures, birds, and other wildlife.  She was a member of the YMCA, playing tennis and winning a state title in her team's age group and ranking. As an avid reader herself, she volunteered as a reading tutor for underprivileged children at a local elementary school.

Kay's ashes will be scattered on the beach on Marco Island per her wishes.