Kay Kirkpatrick Inhofe - devoted wife and mother - passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 22, 2025 with family by her side.  Her 88 years were defined by her strong faith and love of family. She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 9, 1936 to Glade R. Kirkpatrick and Jesse Marie Crosbie Kirkpatrick.

Kay's life was forever changed in 1942 when the Inhofe family moved from Des Moines to Tulsa. The Inhofes, including Marilyn, Jo, Bud, and her future husband Jim, settled a few doors up the street from the Kirkpatricks.  It was Jim who became friends with her much-loved cousin, Jim "Kirk" Kirkpatrick. Their friendship played a large role in cementing Jim and Kay's relationship years later.  Childhood neighbors and friends, Jim and Kay both graduated from Tulsa's Central High School before Kay attended Oklahoma A&M, majoring in math.  She was in the first graduating class of what was soon to be known as Oklahoma State University where she was given the option to choose the name of the school on her diploma.  Discussing this with her parents, she decided to list her diploma as Oklahoma State University because it represented the future.

Kay joined the faculty of Thomas Edison High School soon after the school opened its doors on 41st street, teaching high school math.  On December 19, 1959, Jim and Kay married in the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa. Their family quickly grew to four children: Jimmy, Perry, Molly, and Katy. It was a life full of family dinners and a busy schedule of school and sports activities as the kids moved through Eliot and Edison. Always sentimental, she loved that their children attended Edison High School, walking the same hallways where she first taught math.  She was active in her community, serving as Junior League Treasurer, balanced with a constant role in their four childrens' activities. Kay is listed as the homeroom mom for her children's classes at Eliot Elementary for every year from 1966 to 1978. She was devoted to her husband and was outspoken in her love of Jim and pride in his service. Jim's extended family of employees was her extended family and she nurtured each one with homemade brownies and handwritten letters.

Kay loved her church, First Presbyterian, which had witnessed her parents' lives, Jim and Kay's wedding, her baptism and those of their four children, and the continued contributions of her children and many grandchildren. She loved traveling the world, supporting Jim at every turn in their efforts to advocate for Oklahoma, the United States, and Jesus.  She cherished family vacations in South Padre and Creede, but Kay's favorite days were those spent at Grand Lake where they steadfastly focused on family and lifelong neighbors. Grand Lake remained her favorite place of solitude until the end.

Her favorite roles in life were that of being Mom-I: wife of Pop-I, mother to their four children and spouses, and grandmother to twelve whom she loved beyond measure. She was excited to recently become a great-grandmother. She found joy in the consistency of traditions and loved sharing moments that had been passed down in their families.  She is remembered by her grandchildren as a listener who wanted to hear their stories as much as tell her own, an inability to tell a story without laughing until she had tears, candy jars, lemon pound cake and homemade noodles, jello & tortilla roll-ups in South Padre, her battles with Grand Lake's local squirrel population, the cherished Christmas mantle and tradition of picking out Christmas trees, and her love of "borrowing" things. They loved Mom-I's skills as a negotiator with a knack for finding a good deal, wanting updates on the grandkids' sports & school activities & annual competitions, never failing to win at gin rummy, and never failing to remind them that they were loved.

Most importantly, she loved Pop-I. They grew up within walking distance and remained each other's biggest advocates and closest friends. They talked to each other constantly during the day, whether about big things or small. They played cards together, enjoyed their family, and loved each other unconditionally. They were the perfect partners who had an uncanny way of being consistent without ever being boring. They would build on each other's thoughts with an excitement that made it seem like it was the first time we were hearing a story or a joke – "did you leave the icebox open?" (knowing it was closed), "good luck fishing" (with certainty PopI would say luck was unnecessary), or reminding the family that there will be no more "High-Noon" viewings in the house (although she was the first to help set up the dvd for the next viewing of it) because these were all traditions. In these last months, she constantly referenced that she loved Jim from start to finish.  What a gift for her children and their families to witness that love.

Kay is survived by her son James Mountain (Shannon) Inhofe II, daughters Molly (Jimmy) Rapert and Katy (Brad) Swan, and daughter-in-law Nancy Inhofe. Mom-I is also survived by her grandchildren Maggie (Cameron) Hillier, Molly Inhofe, James Inhofe, Glade Inhofe, Cole Inhofe, Jase Rapert, Luke (Cassidy) Rapert, Jonah Rapert, Marie Rapert, Kate Swan, Ellie Swan, and Jesse Swan.  She is survived by her great-grandson Philip Hillier, many nieces and nephews that she loved as her own, and her brother Jack.  She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of nearly 65 years, James Mountain Inhofe, son Perry Dyson Inhofe II, her parents Glade and Marie Kirkpatrick, her husband's parents, Perry and Blanche Inhofe, and her husband's siblings. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either Project Mercy in Ethiopia (www.projectmercy.org) or First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa (firstchurchtulsa.org).  The family would like to thank Green Country Hospice and caregivers Ronda, Ashley, Robin, and Jessica for their compassionate, loving care.