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Kathryn Jane (Hunt) Brod, 85, of McAlester, passed away on Sunday, June 20, 2021 at Mitchell Manor.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at the First United Methodist Church officiated by Dr. Matt Judkins.
Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bishop Funeral Service and Crematory.
Kathryn was born on January 11, 1936 in Page, Oklahoma, to John A. Hunt and Grace Estelle (Yearwood) Hunt.
Kathy was active in music from the age of 4 singing a solo in church and began piano lessons at the age of 5. While in school in Talihina, she participated in the music program at school and at the Southern Baptist Church where she was a member. She played piano and sang as well as played trombone in the high school band. As a senior in high school, she won a first division in voice at both District and State level. She graduated from Talihina High School and married Myron Gilstrap of Durant.
After several moves in Oklahoma, they moved to El Paso, Texas with their two children, Shaun and Megan. She graduated from University of Texas at El Paso, receiving her teaching degree. Kathy taught elementary education in El Paso. While residing in El Paso, she sang with the El Paso Symphony Chorus and played for the Texas Western Civic Ballet company. She held the position of Dean of the American Guild of Organists. She also began working in musicals and worked with the Ft. Bliss Dinner Theatre as their accompanist and musical director, working on Annie Get Your Gun, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Guys and Dolls.
After divorcing her first husband in El Paso, she met and married the love of her life, Eugene Brod, in October 1975. In 1976 they moved to Iran where she taught at an International School. They returned stateside one year later and moved to Edmond where she taught in public education and taught piano and voice out of her home while earning her Masters Degree in Music at Central State University in Edmond.
While there, she and her husband adopted their granddaughter, Kristy Ann. They moved to Clearwater, Florida for a short time and then moved to Plano. Texas. Later they moved to Sheridan, Oregon where she worked at the Delphian School as well as taught music lessons out of her home. After spending 13 years in Oregon, she moved to Los Angeles, and finally to McAlester in 2000. Kathy was always involved in music, teaching piano, voice, and organ, and playing at various churches wherever she lived.
She opened a music studio in McAlester and taught piano, music, and voice. She was the organist for St. John’s Catholic Church for 14 years. Kathy was very active in the community and was a member of the McAlester Area Arts & Humanities Council, serving as their secretary. She was the catalyst behind the Community Choir which has performed Christmas Concerts for the last ten plus years. She was a member of GFWC Oklahoma McAlester Fortnightly and served as president of the Board as well as President of the Southeast District of GFWC Oklahoma. She was also a member of the McAlester Music Club and DAR. She will be greatly missed in the community, both as a musician and teacher as well as a supporter of various volunteer activities through her clubs.
Kathy was preceded in death by her parents: John A Hunt and Grace Estelle Hunt; first husband: Myron Gilstrap; second husband: Eugene Brod; brothers: John Arden Hunt, William “Bill” Hunt, Ovid “Mickey” Hunt, Charles Hunt; sisters: Grace Devota Baker, Lela Jaggers, Joyce Hunt; and grandson: David Pattee.
She is survived by her son: Shaun Gilstrap and wife of Augusta, Georgia; daughter: Megan Gilstrap-Ciolli of McAlester and husband, Mike of McMinnville, Oregon; adopted daughter: Kristy Ann Zahra of Kabul, Afghanistan; stepdaughters: Betty Duke of Lawndale, California, Carol Nutt of Mustang, Judy “J B” Brod of McAlester; stepson: Richard Dale Brod of Denver, Colorado; 7 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and various nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to thank the staff of Southeast Hospice of McAlester and the staff of Mitchell Manor for all their care of Kathryn in her final days.
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