Judge Stuart S. Kay, Jr.'s Obituary
Judge Stuart S. Kay, Jr. passed away peacefully on Monday, January 13, 2020 at the age of 80. Born on August 17, 1939, he was a lifelong resident of DeRidder, Louisiana, where his family and community cultivated and encouraged his love of learning, instilled in him a strong sense of service, and nurtured his faith.
Judge Kay’s passion for learning fueled his accomplishments in school, from Valedictorian at DeRidder High School in 1957, to earning his Bachelor of Arts from LSU where he was President of Sigma Chi fraternity and Associate Editor of the yearbook and, finally, his Juris Doctor from LSU Law Center in 1964. This passion also sparked the discovery and development of his interests in culinary arts, music, and travel. He loved the arts and was a loyal patron of the Houston Grand Opera for nearly 50 years. He enjoyed traveling, and sharing many a good meal, with family and friends, where he might be overheard discussing the attributes of a good Bordeaux, Siegfried’s Funeral March in Wagner’s Götterdӓmmerung, how to make a good gumbo or LSU football. But, above all, it was the relationships and interactions with others that he most cherished.
Judge Kay lived a life dedicated to service. Following his graduation from LSU Law Center, he was commissioned as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the U.S. Air Force and served in Brindisi, Italy for four years before returning to DeRidder to begin practicing law with his father. After 15 years in private practice, Judge Kay embarked on a 25-year career of public service on the bench, serving first as DeRidder Municipal Court Judge, and later, for 18 years as 36th Judicial District Court Judge. Throughout his career, he also contributed his energy in service to Beauregard Parish through leadership roles in civic and governmental organizations to which he was devoted, including the DeRidder Lions Club, Beauregard Parish Library Board, Beauregard Chamber of Commerce, Beauregard Memorial Hospital Board, Beauregard Advisory School Improvement Committee, and the Southwest Louisiana Library Trustees. For his many years of distinguished service to the community, Judge Kay was awarded the Spirit of the Eagle Award in 2018 by the Calcasieu Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Judge Kay’s impact extended beyond local organizations, as his outspoken leadership on legal issues affecting juveniles led to his appointment to the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, where he served for 8 years. Through this appointment, Judge Kay was instrumental in the creation of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of West Central Louisiana, an organization that advocates for the needs of abused and neglected children in the court system. He also contributed to the success and growth of his beloved alma mater by serving on the LSU Foundation Board.
Judge Kay was a man of faith and was devoted to his local church community at First United Methodist Church in DeRidder, where he served in countless leadership roles over his lifetime. He also taught Sunday School and was a local scout leader. His faith was most visibly expressed through his love of sacred music, as he belted tenor tracks from the back row of the Chancel Choir for nearly 50 years. His legacy of faith also informed his service on the bench, as he imparted his duties as judge with justice and compassion and a recognition of the humanity in all who came before him.
Judge Kay adored, and was adored by, his family and is survived by his wife of 50 years, Judy Shields Kay; sister and brother-in-law Lynn Kay and Douglas Bates of Phippsburg, Maine; sons and daughters-in-law Geoffrey and Tiffany Kay of Austin, Texas, and David and Rebekah Kay of Dallas, Texas; and four grandchildren: Lily, William, Jackson and Thomas Kay. He is preceded in death by his parents Judge Stuart S. Kay, Sr. and Pearl Marie Dunlap Kay.
Visitation will be held Friday, January 17th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., and funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 18th, at 10:00 a.m., both at First United Methodist Church in DeRidder. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First United Methodist Church in DeRidder http://fumcderidder.org/, Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home https://www.lmch.org/, or Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of West Central Louisiana https://www.casawestcenla.org/
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