Margaret Kay Willmoth

1950 - 2025

Margaret Kay Willmoth passed away Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, after a long illness.

Kay was born Sept. 19, 1950, to the late David Long Willmoth Sr. and Mary Mulhall Willmoth and was raised in Elizabethtown. Kay graduated from Elizabethtown Catholic High School before earning her degree in political science from the University of Kentucky.

From a very young age, Kay was interested in working in government and made her way to Washington, D.C., eventually landing in the administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She would go on to serve in a number of management positions, most notably as a regional program director for the Office of Head Start covering six Midwest states based out of Chicago, Illinois. Her colleagues described her as a shining light in supporting and growing her teams, a consummate professional with high standards and someone who led with class and integrity.

Kay spent the majority of her adult life in Chicago and embraced it fully. She was an impeccable dresser for all occasions, whether for weekend grocery stops at the Jewel or shopping downtown at Marshall Fields. While she mostly relied on the "El" or bus for getting around town, she was super proud of her white 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with only 20,000 miles. Kay had her routines, whether that was preparing for dinner with a glass of Chardonnay and goldfish crackers or making sure her business letters were completed to her exacting standards. She loved fine dining, good conversation, the arts and traveling. Kay was a constant presence at holiday gatherings with her family in Kentucky. She was filled with curiosity, had a big smile and knew how to laugh, even at herself at times.

Kay had a life well lived on her own terms and was a model for all of us.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Mary Ann Willmoth.

She is survived by her brothers, David Long Willmoth Jr. (Hanni) of Elizabethtown and Mark Willmoth (Lynda Clark) of Louisville; her brother-in-law, Robert Stettner; five nieces and nephews, Jana Bollinger (David), David Willmoth III (Carol), John Willmoth (Karen), Marilyn Willmoth and Robert Willmoth; and seven great nieces and nephews, Kayla Robyn (Cory Zilisch), Davis Robyn, Clay Bollinger, Cole Bollinger, Ben Willmoth, Abbey Willmoth and Cooper Willmoth.

The funeral is at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, at St. James Cemetery in Elizabethtown.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a local early childhood program in her honor or a donation to the University of Kentucky where she endowed a scholarship for political science majors. To donate, checks may be made payable to University of Kentucky and sent to P.O. Box 910628, Lexington KY 40591 or for online gifts, visit https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/53576/donations/new. Please designate the gift to the Margaret Kay Willmoth Memorial Scholarship Fund.