Yolanda Kay Pittenger

Yolanda "Kay" Pittenger, 80, passed away Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Hilltop Lodge, Beloit, Kansas. She was born December 15, 1930 in Topeka, Kansas to Ernest and Cora Ladner.
Kay attended public schools in Onaga and Wamego, Kansas. During WWII her father accepted a position as a civilian employee of the US Government and moved the family by train to Virginia. During her school age years, Kay enjoyed roller skating, cheerleading, and music and displayed a flair for modeling as can be witnessed by old family photographs. At the age of 16, her family returned to Onaga, Kansas and Kay graduated from Onaga High School that year. After graduation she worked at various jobs in Onaga and while working in the local drug store she meet Lee Dronberger who she married on January 21, 1950. Lee and Kay were blessed with three children, Leanda, Paula and Keith. While the family was young Kay was a full-time homemaker active in school and church activities and raising the family. The family resided in Onaga moving to Concordia and then Beloit when Lee joined the Kansas Highway Patrol. During this time Kay became involved with the local garden club and this love of gardening and the outdoors sustained her throughout her life. Lee died in January, 1970 and Kay began working outside the home – first as a legal assistant and then for Wichers Color Corporation. In 1972 Kay moved to Wamego, Kansas to be closer to her aging parents. While in Wamego she met and married George Pittenger in January of 1974. George and Kay lived in rural Wamego and later began their own business moving to Oklahoma, Texas and ending in Bisbee, Arizona. Kay was an active partner in their business and enjoyed traveling with George wherever their business ventures took them.
During her life, Kay was an avid reader, dabbled in writing poetry and short stories, had a life-long love of all types of music – "she never met a song she didn't like". Her kids could always find her in the grocery store by following the singing. Kay was a woman ahead of her time much to her children's chagrin – she often worn her pink fuzzy house slippers while running the kids to school and then would stop at the local grocery store – fuzzy slippers and all.
Kay is survived by her husband, George Pittenger of Bisbee, Arizona; two daughters, Leanda Orsborn of Coppell, Texas and Paula Rominger and husband Doug of Glen Elder, Kansas; one son, Keith Dronberger and wife Deb of Beloit, Kansas; three grandsons, Aaron and Dylan Dronberger, and Alex Rominger; five great-grandchildren; a sister, Doris Tallent and husband Raymond of Lanexa, Virigina and a brother; Rex Ladner and wife Barbara of Grand Prairie, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be at 10:00 AM Monday, March 14, 2011 at the McDonald Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to Solomon Valley Hospice. There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place. Interment of the cremains will take place at a later date in Duluth, Kansas.