Sedgwick-Barton County KS Archives Obituaries.....Stalker, Catherine Victoria Hickel March 17, 2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Oz . lostinoz@embarqmail.com August 16, 2007, 9:15 pm Wichita Eagle 3-21-2005 Birth: Not Listed, Barton County, Kansas Death: Mar. 17, 2005, Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas A retired insurance executive and longtime Wichita entertainer and song stylist. She died at St. Joseph Hospital after a six-month illness. She was a resident of Catholic Care Center in Wichita. Kay was born on a farm near Ellinwood, KS, the second oldest of ten children of Robert and Emma Zecca Hickel. As a young child, she displayed keen talents in athletics, piano and singing. As she grew older, her interests became more focused on her musical skills, which at the age of 19, led to a singing spot on radio station KVGB in Great Bend, KS, followed by similar stints on radio stations, KMMJ in Grand Island, NE and then KANS in Wichita. At various stages of her career, she appeared with big bands conducted by Lawrence Welk, Norman Lee, Jan Garber, Buddy Morrow and Ralph Marterie. She also performed with country music legends "Pee Wee" King, Little Jimmie Dickens, Tex Ritter, "Smiley" Burnette, Red Foley and Marty Robbins. For over three years, she was the Musical Director at Wichita Radio Station KFH, where she also served as staff vocalist for the KFH Ark Valley Boys and the Breakfast Frolic Gang, country bands that aired daily full house live performances at the KFH studios. She also continued to work as the featured singer with local bands and small combos for dance and supper clubs in the Wichita area, while developing a successful health insurance business on the side. In her early 70's, she formed "Kay's Kombo" for the express purpose of entertaining senior citizens groups. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Elmer Hickel and sister, Maxine Hickel. Wichita Eagle 3-21-2005 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/sedgwick/obits/s/stalker1684ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 2.3 Kb