Kathleen Wilbers

Mrs. Kathleen Margaret "Kathy" Wilbers, age 79, of Jefferson City, Mo., passed away peacefully Friday, November 7, 2025, surrounded by family at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.
Kathleen was born on March 7, 1946, in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of John Fletcher and Patricia Margaret (Power) Redman. She graduated from Bishop Miege High School in Mission, Kansas, and continued her education at Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colorado, later earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas–Lawrence.
While Kathleen was in college, her mother passed away, and she returned to the Kansas City area to help her father raise her three younger siblings. After completing her degree, she fulfilled a long-held dream by spending six months traveling across Europe.
On May 20, 1972, Kathy was united in marriage to LeRoy Herman "Bud" Wilbers in Kansas City. They shared 42 years of marriage before his passing on March 7, 2014. Together, they built a beautiful life rooted in love, service, and devotion to family and community.
For more than 30 years, Kathleen served as the office manager of Wilbers Law Firm in Jefferson City, where she played an essential role in supporting both the family business and its many clients. She was deeply devoted to her son, Budd, and took great pride in supporting him in all his entrepreneurial endeavors.
Beyond her professional life, Kathleen had a profound love for design, history, and preservation. She expressed her creativity through interior design and through her decades of service as a docent at the Missouri Governor's Mansion, where she spent nearly 50 years welcoming guests and sharing the history of Missouri's first home.
She was also a member of The Cathedral of St. Joseph and the Tuesday Club, and she served three terms as president of the Cole County Historical Society. During her leadership, she oversaw the renovation of the courtyard, and she and Bud generously donated the George Washington Exhibit.
She found joy in gathering with friends, traveling, and cherishing family moments. She will be remembered as a woman of quiet strength, elegance, and unwavering love.
Survivors include her beloved son, John L. "Budd" Wilbers of Clayton, Missouri; two cherished grandchildren, Carmody Wilbers and John Wilbers, Jr.; and two sisters, Marilee Jennings (William) of San Jose, California, and Carol Carpenter of Tucson, Arizona.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bud; and two brothers, John F. Redman III and Robert Redman.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, 2305 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65109.
Kathy's service will begin at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 20, 2025, with her son, John "Budd" Wilbers, giving a remembrance with her Mass of Christian Burial following with the Reverend Stephen Jones officiating. Graveside services and interment will be held at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery.
A live stream of the service will be available to view starting at 11:00 a.m. Thursday for friends that can't make the service by going to the Cathedral of St. Joseph's Facebook page.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Cole County Historical Society, 109 Madison Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Freeman Mortuary.