(June 5, 2014 - by Harold Goerzen)  For all who knew Kay Isbell, they thought of someone who gave sacrificially—even in her waning years—living in the retirement complex where she and her husband, Ray, resided in the same apartment for the last 20 years of her life.

Despite ill health and a stooped back, necessitating the use of a cane or walker, Kay ministered weekly by reading books to a 102-year-old woman in the Crista Shores Retirement Community in Silverdale, Wash.

Kay, a longtime missionary with various mission organizations, including Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB Global) in Ecuador, died on Saturday, May 24. Her loving husband, Ray, of 63 years and her family were by Kay’s side as she passed away at Tacoma General Hospital after a fall in their home. She was 82 years old.

Kathryn “Kay” Aline Isbell was born to Fred and Hazel West on Sept. 15, 1931, in Seattle. After her birth, she lived briefly in South Dakota until the family moved back to Seattle where she attended elementary, junior high and Lincoln High School in her Wallingford neighborhood. She met Ray at Central Presbyterian Church where the couple married on March 20, 1951.

For two years she studied nursing at Seattle Pacific College. Then the Isbells moved to Chicago to attend Moody Bible Institute in preparation for full-time missionary service.

In March 1957 the couple began serving in Latin America where they lived and worked in five different countries during 25 years.

For a number of years they ministered in Shell, Ecuador, with Mission Aviation Fellowship followed by 14 years with Reach Beyond in Ecuador as Kay worked as a bookkeeper in the business office in Quito and Ray served as an engineer.

“I worked closely with Kay in the Quito Business Office back in 1981-1983,” recounted missionary retiree Chuck Howard. “She was always cheerful and willing to do careful detail work. I found her to be a tremendous help as I learned the many facets of the business office, though we would both laugh together as we found files that neither of us knew how to handle.”

Throughout their ministry in Ecuador, Kay shared her passion for helping people in need through her leadership in women’s Bible study groups in a poor section of Quito.

Their son, Keith, also became a Reach Beyond missionary, serving in various positions at Hospital Vozandes-Shell. He now pastors the church that he and his Ecuadorian wife, Loly, started in Shell. Their two children, Karen and Joshua, attend Reach Beyond’s Nate Saint Memorial School in Shell.

In addition to her son and husband, Kay is survived by two daughters, Becky and Ruth, both of Seattle, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Kay and Ray concluded foreign missionary service in 1984, moving back to Seattle to help care for her in-laws. She also worked at La Escuelita, a bilingual daycare and preschool. She then spent 15 years working as a bookkeeper for New Horizons Ministries, a drop-in center for street youth in Seattle.

In 1994 the couple moved to Crista Shores where she volunteered for several years as a librarian and secretary of the Residents’ Council. Kay also volunteered in many capacities outside the retirement complex, including bookkeeping for the local Pregnancy Resource Services drop-in center.

Kay’s generosity, loving spirit, faith and compassion for others touched everyone who knew her. She will be deeply missed by her loving family and many friends.

A memorial service is set for 1 p.m. Friday, June 6, at Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church in Bremerton. Friends of the family are also welcome to attend the graveside service at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 7, at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery in Seattle.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial gifts be made to Horizon Ministries International (602 Valley St., Seattle, WA 98109). Earmark checks “Ecuador” in the memo line.

Source: Reach Beyond