Sammie Kay Kilkenny

Sammie Kay Kilkenny, 82, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2026, at Morningstar Assisted Living in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Sammie was born on October 12, 1943, in Willow Springs, Missouri, and grew up in Grinnell, Iowa, where she graduated from Grinnell High School in 1961. She later met James (Jim) Kilkenny, and the two were married on September 10, 1968, in Coralville, Iowa. They shared a life rooted in family, creativity, faith, and community.

Sammie was a woman of many talents and deep passions. She owned and operated Blair's Ferry Road Antique Shop in Marion, where her love for history and beautiful things was evident to all who visited. She taught swimming lessons at the YMCA for eight years and had a lifelong love of the water.

Her home reflected her creative spirit. Sammie loved gardening, tending stunning flower beds-especially her cherished peonies. She found joy in birdwatching, listening attentively to their calls, and she sang faithfully in the church choir. A gifted baker and cook, she expressed love through food shared with family and friends. Sammie greatly enjoyed spending time with her granddaughters, working outside around the acreage, baking, and playing the occasional game of hide and seek on the golf carts.

Sammie was also an accomplished and tireless craftsperson, mastering sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, cross-stitching, painting, and more. She taught herself to knit at the age of 18 and continued the craft for over 60 years. Always eager to learn, she even purchased an organ and took lessons later in life. Sammie valued friendships deeply and made a point to stay connected with the many people who touched her life.

She is survived by her two sons, Dan (Amy) Kilkenny and Patrick Kilkenny; her granddaughters, Karlee (John Cinealis) and Katherine Kilkenny; her brother-in-law, KC Kilkenny; sisters-in-law, Janet Kilkenny, Marcia Kilkenny and Karen Kilkenny; and many beloved nieces, nephews and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Kilkenny; her parents, Theodore and Pauline Ingram; her brother, Paul Sherman Ingram; and her sisters, Sue Altemeier and Jane Hansen.

A visitation will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, Winterset Chapel. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February, 12, 2026 at the First Christian Church in Winterset. Inurnment will follow at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter at 12:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family and will be given to various causes that Sammie supported.

Sammie will be remembered for her creativity, kindness, quiet strength, and the love she poured into her family, friendships, and the beauty she created throughout her life.