Mary "Kay" Thacker Woodall

Mary “Kay” Thacker Woodall passed away on October 21, 2025, at home, surrounded by her family. She was born in Talking Rock, Georgia, 92 years ago. When she was five, her family moved to Maryville, Tennessee. She graduated from Everett High School, where she met her husband, Dallas. Kay’s life was built on faith in God and love for her family. She and Dallas began their family in Rockford, Tennessee, before moving to Indiana in search of a better life. There, they joined the First Baptist Church of East Gary, where Kay was a devoted and humble servant-always working quietly behind the scenes, never seeking recognition or praise. Kay had a nurturing spirit, shown through her love of cooking and her joy in feeding anyone who came through her door. She was a mother to all -not only to her own children, but to their friends as well. She found peace in life’s simple pleasures: sitting with a glass of iced tea while watching her birds, tending to her flowers, planting gardens, and canning the harvest. But her greatest joy was always found in the kitchen, preparing a simple, delicious Southern meal with family and friends gathered nearby. Kay’s legacy lives on through those she leaves behind: her son, Edd Bales; daughters, Sherry Woodall, Sabrina (Garry) Szostek, and Angela Woodall; grandchildren, Elizabeth Booth, Tony Elliott, Andrea (Tony) Krupa, and Christopher (Sarah Easton) Szostek; and great-grandchildren, Isabella Zanon and AJ Krupa. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews, and her faithful companion, her loving puppy, Molly. Kay was the last of her generation to pass into her heavenly home, joining her husband, Dallas Woodall; her parents, Emmett and Katie Thacker; her brothers and sisters — S.A. Thacker, Ollie Mullinax, Odene Sutton, Billie Thacker, Columbus Thacker, Dorothy Holsonback, and Byrd Thompson — as well as her special niece, Pam Davis. Family and friends are invited to gather at Burns Funeral Home (701 E. 7th Street, Hobart, IN) on Sunday, October 26, from 3–7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Monday, October 27, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice or to VNA Hospice of Northwest Indiana.

Mary "Kay" Thacker Woodall

April 24, 1933 - October 21, 2025