Kathleen Mulrenin Soard passed away on January 23, 2025, in Carthage, TN. She was born on May 26,1953, in Paw Paw, MI, to Charles and Louise Mulrenin, as the fourth of eventually seven children. Kathy grew up in Paw Paw, graduating from Paw Paw High School in 1971. In 1985 she married Tom Soard in Lake Tahoe, NV. They moved from Kalamazoo to a farm outside of Carthage, TN, in 1993, where for 20 years they raised a few cows, pigs, chickens, and goats, and she named every one of them! Birthday cards from her would list them all as family members.
She was active in animal rescue groups, taking great joy in caring for the kennel dogs at the Smith County (TN) Humane Society. She even took some of the “unadoptable” dogs into her home and gave them love in their last years. Kathy also had what must be the world’s largest collection of owl-themed décor and clothing, from stuffed to ceramic to wall hangings, clocks, kitchen towels—you name she had an owl on it!
Kathy’s family members who preceded her in death are her husband Tom, her parents Chuck and Louise, her brother Danny, and her sister Mary Ann. Surviving are sisters Pat Gund (Sun City, CA), Peggy Mulrenin (Clemmons, NC), Kerry (Dale) Eldred (Palm Bay, FL), brother Tom (Karen) Mulrenin (Melbourne, FL), step daughter Chris Brown (Cleveland, TN), step son Tim Soard(Portsmouth, OH), and many nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her cat O’Bama, the last of her many rescues. Memorial contributions may be made to smithcountytnhumane.com in her name.
