Kathleen Marie Tubbs

Kathleen Marie (McIlnay) Tubbs was born on January 9, 1946, at St. Thomas Hospital in Colby, KS. She was the fifth of seven children born to Leland Stanford and Celeste (Schwebach) McIlnay. Kathleen was called home to be with the Lord on January 26, 2025, at the age of 79. 

Kathleen, fondly called Tat by her mother, lived the first 18 years of her life on a farm located 12 miles southwest of Colby. Kathleen’s days on the farm were filled with tending to the chickens and sheep, helping her mother cook and bake for the three meals a day expected on the farm, and even involved driving the cabless tractors to help raise the crops. From an early age, Kathleen was a devoted daughter who had a deep respect for her parents and was instilled with a work ethic that helped contribute to the family’s success. Life on the farm was filled with an avid love for God and many great adventures and antics of the siblings. Kathleen attended all 12 years of schooling at Colby Public School. In school, she was involved in Pep Club, sang in the Glee Club, held a class officer position, and served the community through Kayettes. 

Shortly after high school in 1964, Kathleen was hired by Kansas State Farm Management where she began as a receptionist and quickly aspired to being a member of a traveling team that crossed the NW part of the state aiding farmers with their financial decisions for tax planning. Kathleen had found her passion in the working world. Her love of numbers, a sharp pencil, and her keen and natural ability to balance the books would lead to a lifetime of being in charge of family member’s and business’s books and taxes. 

As Kathleen worked at Kansas State Farm Management, she also continued to help her parents on the farm. It was on this farm one day that unbeknownst to her, would begin a lifetime of love with Jim Tubbs. Jim’s family was in the Ford-Lincoln-Mercury business in Atwood. One day Jim went with his father to deliver a new Ford Station Wagon to Leland at the farm. Kathleen was just arriving back from the field driving that open cab tractor as Jim stood waiting for his dad. Jim knew he had to meet her, and he found a way.

Over the next four years, Kathleen was courted by Jim. They went to dances, traveled to the lake, where they enjoyed both fishing and water skiing, and really just simply spent a great amount of time in the quiet moments of life enjoying each other’s company and building a foundation of friendship, appreciation, and love for another person that would endure the test of time. Many a night, Jim drove to Colby from Atwood to see Kathleen and his Ford Falcon would be parked in the McIlnay farmyard. In 1966, Jim’s family moved their automobile business to Colby. Still dating, Jim convinced his father that despite the fact Kathleen was his girlfriend, she would be a good fit for the dealership to work the numbers. Shortly after, Kathleen was hired to be the CFO. She worked for Tubbs & Sons Ford Sales and the Tubbs farming operation Triple T Farms until the time of her death or for what would be 59 years. The family counted on her to always keep the numbers straight and the cash counted.

Finally, on May 4, 1968, Jim and Kathleen were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Colby. The couple settled into married life in Colby and formed an unbreakable 57-year bond of love, laughter, and happiness. The couple had two children, a daughter, Sherrie Lynn and a son, George Leland. Kathleen loved being a wife and a mother. She worked long hours on the books for the businesses but always put family first. It was important to Kathleen that the kids always had a hot breakfast in the morning and a good meal at night, and she was an excellent cook! Peanut butter cookies, chocolate delight, a delicious cheese ball, and fried chicken were just a few of her specialties. Not to mention that her suppers were always served with a glass of sweet tea. She took care that homework was completed and was always involved at the school doing everything from Head Room Mom to driving the high school cheerleaders to cheer camp. She never missed an event and this held true when she later had grandchildren. Kathleen was also the family go to when things weren’t quite right. She was an excellent listener and was never afraid to give a person the straight truth of the matter. She was the star running back of the group as she could seemingly listen and make decisions that moved everyone to a better forward position. The love and dedication she had toward her parents and siblings also remained strong as life brought along its many challenges for them. “Others before self” was a motto she not only promoted, but lived by every day. 

Kathleen was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Alter Society. She loved playing Yahtzee, watching The Price is Right, and taking a long weekend getaway to KC. In addition, she enjoyed the numerous family trips to the lake and the summer vacations where many memories were made over the years. Her yard, flowers, and garden were a sense of pride for her. Kathleen loved the holidays especially Christmas and then Halloween where she passed out $2 bills to all the children who came to her door. Her greatest joy in her later years came from her grandchildren. Popcorn, tea, and some chocolate were always on the snack list as they arrived. Her door was always open as they needed everything from a hug to a piece of sound advice. Finally, it was all about the Jayhawks and the Chiefs on game day.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Burt McIlnay, and her sisters Carol Baalman and Tracey Perkins. 

She is survived by her husband Jim; her two children, Sherrie (Brent) Wiedeman and George (Lindsey) Tubbs, all of Colby; five grandchildren, Brady, Bryant, Carson, Landon, and Tomi: great granddaughter Jack; and siblings, LeeAnn Rehmer, David McIlnay, and Joe (Sheryl) McIlnay. 

Visitation is 4-6:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, February 2, 2025, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. Funeral Mass is 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 3, 2025, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Colby, with burial in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Colby 6th Street AA and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com