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Kathleen (Kay) Sharon Larkin Reis passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on January 31, 2026.
After her lung cancer diagnosis in December 2023, she continued to pursue her many interests (reading, sewing, knitting, quilting, volunteering at St. Matthew Catholic Church) and to stay connected with family and friends.
Kay was born on December 13, 1939 to Thomas and Donna (nee’ Madonna Dorothea Rydberg) Larkin. The oldest of 5 children, Kay spoke often of her happy childhood in Northfield, Minneapolis, and Brainerd Minnesota, always grateful to her parents for nurturing connections with so many relatives. It was important to Kay to share the rich history of her family, and it was in that spirit that she created and published the Larkin/McCabe Family Memories book in 2024.
Kay graduated high school in 1957 from St. Margaret’s Academy. She married Kenneth John Reis in 1961, and with him, had 6 children. Together, they enjoyed family gatherings, attending their children’s and grandchildren’s school, club and sporting events, as well as traveling across the country to visit family, friends and countless museums.
At age 54, Kay graduated with a Bachelor’s of Social Work from the College of Saint Catherine. For the next 20 years, Kay worked for CommonBond Communities in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs. She was an advocate, through and through, for each of her clients. Kay’s friendliness, warmth, patience and belief in inclusivity, created a welcoming environment for the communities she served, which included many East African immigrants.
Kay was a planner, an organizer, a doer, a joiner. Some of the more notable examples include leading a weekend women’s conference for hundreds of participants, facilitating Freedom from Smoking groups, teaching religious education classes, leading bike rides for her cycling club, and creating personalized, whimsical cards and scrapbooks for the family. At age 50, Kay embarked upon a 5 day winter camping trek in northern Minnesota. Upon moving to Peachtree City Georgia in 2014, she joined a book club, a quilting club, water aerobics and various church groups. As always, she made friends quickly. Her smile, compassion, and her ability to focus on others were evident, even in her last weeks.
Kay is survived by her husband, Ken Reis, five children: Michelle Reis (Dan LaRocque), Julie Barbier, John Reis (Rebecca), Mike Reis (Misty), Dan Reis; 11 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was a cherished sister to Thomas Larkin (Susan), Terry Larkin (Alison), Colleen Gauron, and to her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Kay was preceded in death by infant daughter Jeanne Marie, parents Tom and Donna Larkin, parents-in-law Peter and Anastasia Reis, sister-in-law Eileen Schmidt, brother Tim Larkin, brothers-in-law Vernon Gauron, Don Schmidt, and Lee Reis, and nephew Tommy Larkin.
Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday March 7, 2026, at 1:00pm, with a visitation 1 hour prior, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, 215 Kirkley Road, Tyrone Georgia 30290. Lunch will be served following Mass at the Family Life Center on the campus of St. Matthew.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Lung Association or to Project for Pride in Living. Donations can be made via websites or mail.
American Lung Association or Project for Pride in Living
American Lung Association website: lung.org
American Lung Association
13100 West Lisbon Road
Suite #700
Brookfield, Wisconsin 53005
Project for Pride in Living website: ppl-inc.org
Project for Pride in Living
Attn: Fundraising Department
1021 East Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
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