Kathleen Joan Rayburn

Kathleen J. Rayburn, 88, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 18, 2020, at her home surrounded by family.

She was born February 1, 1932, to Cecil and Florence Noble in Akron, Ohio. Throughout the years, she had the opportunity to live in many places, including Canada and California, where she attended college, before returning to the Akron area and settling there. While in Akron, she met her husband, Bruce, and they raised their three children in Firestone Park. Along with being a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Kathleen was also a wonderful primary and nursery school teacher, who impacted the lives of many students during her decades of teaching. She was a long-time parishioner of St. Paul Catholic Church in Akron, where she was a member of the choir, and a Eucharistic minister. In addition to her dedication to the Catholic faith, she also loved cooking, knitting, gardening and Charlie Brown.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Bruce; her brother, Michael Noble; and sister, Janet Noble. She is survived by her sister, Carol Miller; children, James Rayburn, Marie (James) Mazzagatti and Deborah (James) Shaffer; grandchildren, Angelina Banks-Rayburn, Lauren Mazzagatti, Katiann (Jordan) Lile, Theresa Mazzagatti, Hannah Mazzagatti, Owen (Anna) Shaffer and Liam Shaffer; great-grandchildren, Jaden Taylor, Kamrin Jackson, Emelious Jackson, Chosen Naules, Lucy Lile, Jessa Lile, Crosby Lile, Ezekiel Lile, and Zelie Shaffer.

There will be a PRIVATE service on Friday, April 24, 2020 at St. Paul Catholic Church with burial immediately following. A Celebration of Life Mass will be held at a later date. To accommodate Covid-19 restrictions, the service will be available for live-streaming on Facebook at facebook.com/AnthonyFuneralHomes/live/ beginning at 9:55 a.m. EST on Friday. (Kucko-Anthony-Kertesz Chapel, Akron)