KATHERINE ANN BORECKY,

72, passed away Friday, March 4, 2023 in North Little Rock, Ark. after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia.

The daughter of Victor R. and Mary Szczepaniak Borecky of North Little Rock, Ark.

Kathy was born April 2, 1950 in Little Rock. She grew in NLR in the Baring Cross neighborhood. She graduated high school at Mt. St. Mary’s Academy in Little Rock. She also graduated from University of Central Arkansas with a degree in education.

In 1972, she moved to Paragould, Ark., for her first teaching assignment at the Paragould School District. After two years and being homesick, she moved back to North Little Rock and taught 7th and 8th grades at St. Edwards Catholic School in Little Rock. After four years, Kathy gained employment at Sylvan Hills Middle School in Sherwood, Ark. She taught there for 33 years, primarily 6th through 8th grade students, as well as special education classes of the same age group.

Kathy loved teaching and was effective as attested by praise from her peers as well as her students. Numerous times over the years her current and previous students would see her out in public and get excited and run to meet Kathy and hug her and introduce Kathy to others and proclaim her to be “the best teacher they ever had.”

Kathy never married. She was a bit shy and self-conscience in social matters regarding dating and courting. Instead, she focused on her students and regarded them as her children. She loved her students and offered them a guiding hand to keep them on the right path. She was always a positive influence.

Kathy was of the Catholic faith and a life long member of St. Mary’s Parish in North Little Rock. Since she was a teacher, she showed interest in St. Mary’s Parochial School and volunteered as a substitute and aide after she formally retired from public school teaching. She did this until the ravages of dementia began to take its toll.

Kathy was a lifelong lover of animals, always having one or two cats and dogs around. She owned horses and rode English saddle and jumped a little in competition. Didn’t win much but enjoyed the ride.

She could play the flute, piano, and organ. She sang in and played in most all the church music programs at St. Mary’s. She was also a member of St. Andrew’s Cathedral bell ringer choir.

Kathy was a baker extraordinaire. People who knew her talent would beg her to prepare her special pastries. She could bake and decorate elaborate wedding and anniversary cakes for parishioners and friends for only the cost of the ingredients or nothing at all. You could always count on her to prepare a dozen or more cakes for the church/ school carnival fundraiser.

Other interest included ceramics. She had two kilns and owned and fired over 400 molds. She collected and favored Christmas decor, figurines, animal statuary, dragon and fairies. A craft store was one of her favorite places. However, she always had too much, according to her brothers.

Kathy lived with Mom and Dad all her life. She took care of them in their old age. This included caring for our bedridden Mom in the home for the last five years of her life. Mom also has severe dementia. Kathy knew from the onset of her dementia what to expect. She bravely accepted her fate and prayed to God for relief.

Kathy is survived by three brothers, Thomas (Marilyn), Robert (Rita), and Steven (Margie); nephews, Stanley, Richard, Chris, Patrick, Paul; and a niece, Amy Huston who all reside in the central Arkansas area. There is an abundance of cousins and friends, many who were lifelong, most prominently members of the Parker, Thatcher, and Charles families.

A special thanks to Kathy’s in home caregivers who are Tina, Corina, Raquel, Tiffany, and Rebekah as well as the professionals at Lakewood Health and Gentiva Hospice.

A visitation will be held at 5 p.m., followed by a rosary at 7 p.m., on Tuesday, March 7th at Smith-North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., NLR. The funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m., on Wednesday, March 8th, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 1516 Parker St., NLR. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in LR at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Mary Catholic Church, 1516 Parker St., NLR, Ark. 72114 and/or to Carmelite Nuns, 7201 W. 32nd St., Little Rock, Ark.

Online obituary at www.SmithFamilyCares.com.