Kay Lorene Tyree

Kay Lorene Tyree, of Chaska, Minnesota, known as “Nana” by her loved ones, passed away peacefully on March 25, 2026, at age 88, her beautiful, irrepressible smile persisting to the end. Loyal, thoughtful, determined, humble, unfailingly energetic, and eternally loving, Kay showed us all that love isn’t put in our hearts for safekeeping — it only becomes love when you give it away, so don’t be afraid to do it everyday. She was a natural caregiver whose warmth, genuineness, and omnipresent smile made everyone feel at home. Her house was open to everyone and she was ready to help anyone. When conversations ended with “love you,” she’d respond, “love you more!” — and you knew she meant it. But she also had a mischievous streak and a wonderful sense of humor, so she’d sometimes say, “you’d better!”

Born on January 11, 1938, in Willow Springs, Missouri, to Clara Marie (Lecher) and Kenneth Loren Kindred, Kay grew up in Chadron, Nebraska, along with sisters Betty and Lila and brother Kenneth (“Bud”). Following her parents’ divorce, stepfather Guy Wilson became an important part of their world; Kay thought of him as her dad. When Kay was 15, she met her friend’s crush, a tall, handsome 16-year-old named Bill Tyree, and promptly fell in love with him. Kay and Bill married on November 25, 1953, and over the years they welcomed kids Charles (“Chuck”), Cherri, Donald (“Donny”), and Starla. Family was incredibly important to Kay, and her kids were her proudest achievement. Fortunately, Bill’s 30-year career as a pipefitter on the railroad kept him close to home, and Kay’s jobs let her get home before her kids returned from school. The family always ate their meals together at the table, and Kay never missed her kids’ events.

Kay was a tiny, high-energy spitfire and human hummingbird, forever busy and on the go — “move it or lose it!” was her motto. There was no stopping her when she put her mind to something. She taught herself to sew, choosing a tailored western shirt for Bill as her very first project. Though she could cook only boiled potatoes when she got married, Kay ultimately became an amazing home cook. And she was full of home improvement ideas. While the projects would often end up on Bill’s to-do list, Kay was always ready to jump right in to help: They once sided their entire house together.

Bill and Kay were together for 56 years, living in Chadron, Hyannis, Council Bluffs, and North Platte until Bill’s passing on January 4, 2010. They thoroughly enjoyed each other, and Bill truly believed that he and Kay could achieve anything together. On any given car trip in the days before bucket seats, Kay would always sit in the middle seat next to Bill. And they were always holding hands, tiny Kay next to big Bill.

Kay loved cooking, baking, gardening, fresh flowers, cats and dogs, playing cards, marbles, and other games, puzzles, volunteering, spending time with family and friends, and watching sports. While her beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers always held space in her heart, she was an even bigger fan of any sports involving her kids or grandkids, whether it was volleyball, football, basketball, soccer, or dance. Kay herself played softball as a girl, and in her 70s she was still shooting baskets and jumping on trampolines with her grandkids. She was also still climbing trees well into her 70s — once to rescue a cat. And she did it all while looking marvelously put together: She loved clothes, jewelry, and especially shoes. As a friend put it, Kay was “sweet, petite, and always dressed so neat.”

Kay truly was tiny — she claimed to have hit 100 pounds when pregnant, but nobody really knows. But she always insisted she was “tall” and had “long legs.” When asked her height, she’d proudly claim “five-foot three-and-a-half inches,” not once leaving off that extra half-inch. People often assumed she hardly ate, but in reality Kay loved food, had a serious sweet tooth, and “ate like a horse.” Her sky-high metabolism let her out-eat anyone, leaving her future son-in-law gape-mouthed and in awe.

Kay was a joyful, positive, loving presence throughout her life. She truly cared about other people. Her favorite job was working at the bakery of the Hy-Vee in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she loved getting to know the regulars who came in every morning for coffee and rolls. Even as she dealt with dementia and other medical issues later in her life, she was invariably kind and grateful — never angry, upset, or mean. Wild horses could not keep her from talking to and complimenting babies, strangers, healthcare professionals, and anyone else she came into contact with. Kay always had a smile, thank you, and sincere compliment for everyone. In recent years, she and her son Chuck lived at Chaska Heights Senior Living, in Chaska, Minnesota, where Kay continued charming absolutely everyone she met.

Kay’s daughters Cherri and Starla and son Chuck were by her side during her last days and final hours. She was peaceful, ready, and saying “love you more!” until the end. She is preceded in death by son Donny, husband Bill, grandson Chaz, daughter-in-law Dianne (Chuck), and several beloved pets; they were undoubtedly there too, waiting their turn to see Kay’s smile again, with Bill holding out his hand.

Kay is survived by son Charles Tyree and daughters Cherri (Dale) Grant and Starla Tyree; sister-in-law Wilma Kindred DeBoer; daughter-in-law Brenda (Donald) Tyree; grandkids Alan (Angela) Tyree, Billie (Aaron) Knifong, Crissy (Justin) Wolff, Traci (Kyle) Hall, Jennifer (Michael) Brown, Matthew (Jessica) Tyree, Brandi (Brent) Gobin, Brittany (Tyler) Beeler, Mikel Tyree, Miley Tyree, and Kindra Tyree; step-grandkids Kaelyn Happ (Jay) Walter, Avery Happ, Sean (Pamela) Reagan, and Heather (John) Reagan; daughters-in-law Kaitlin Tyree and Kimberly Tyree; and 23 wonderful great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 10:30am on April 14, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Chadron, NE, followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery. Kay absolutely loved fresh flowers, so we’re hoping to give her a display she’d love. We also welcome donations in Kay’s name to Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home, a wonderful facility in Torrington, Wyoming, that helps children.

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CONTENTED
A poem by Anonymous

Now I am contented
That my life it was worthwhile
Knowing as I passed along the way
I made somebody smile.

When you are walking down the street
And you’ve got me on your mind
I’m walking in your footsteps
Only half a step behind.

And when you face the gentle breeze
Or the wind up on your face,
I'm giving you a great big hug
Or just a soft embrace.

So please don’t be unhappy
Just because I’m out of sight,
Remember that I’m with you
Each morning, noon and night.