Mary Kathleen Favela, age 77 years, 8 months, and 2 days passed away Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at the University of Kentucky Hospital.
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 12:00pm in the chapel of the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home with Bro. Landon Sexton officiating. Burial was in the Methodist Cemetery.
She was born in San Diego, California on August 23, 1940. Her mother, Josefina Narvarte came from a family of Basque Spaniards who came to the Americas and settled in both Mexico and San Antonio, Texas where Josefina grew up. After Kathleen's birth her mother decided to move to Mexico. Her mother was a very hard working and successful business woman. In order to provide for her "black pearl" , as she referred to her precious daughter, she relied on a very dear friend to be her live in nanny. Florence Naylor became someone that Kathleen loved very dearly. So dearly that as her nanny become ill she came to live with Kathleen until her death so she could in turn take care of her.
She attended UCLA where she studied Political Science and modeled. After obtaining her degree, she returned to Mexico City and met her future husband in Acapulco. Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Gabriela, her dear mother passed away. She was devastated by her mother's death but found peace in Monterrey, Mexico where she was surrounded by friends and family. She returned to college and obtained a degree in Psychology. In 1982 her little family moved to Glasgow, Kentucky. Soon after she returned again to college at the University of Kentucky and obtained yet another degree, this time in Secondary Education.
She taught Spanish and Italian for 24 years in the McCreary County School System where she also taught many life lessons to numerous students. She influenced a great number of students to be the best they could be and that they could achieve anything if they worked hard. She overcame many obstacles in her life and hoped that she would able to help others reach their dreams.
Survivors include her daughter, Gabriela Rayneri and her husband, Giovanni, and two grandchildren, Allessandro and Federica Rayneri.
Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home was honored to serve the family of Ms. Favela.