Kay Petruska

Kay Kiger Petruska, age 77 years of Kalamazoo, Michigan, formerly of Niles, Michigan died on Sunday, July 31, 2016 at Heritage Community of Kalamazoo. She was born September 12, 1938 in Niles, Michigan to Fred and Grace (Simmonds) Kiger.

Kay was graduated from Stevens College and attended the University of Michigan where she received her Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene. She then continued her education to begin work as Executive Secretary to the Vice President of Research at the Upjohn Company for more than 15 years. When living in Sturgis, Michigan, Kay was a member the First Presbyterian Church of Sturgis, member of the Junior Women’s League, the Sturgis Hospital Auxiliary and the Sturgis Garden Club. Later, while a resident of Kalamazoo, she was an active member of the Kalamazoo Miniature Club and became involved in family genealogy and was able to track the Simmonds family back to their arrival to America on the Mayflower. Kay was a loving mother who was devoted to her children and grandchildren.

Surviving family includes her husband, David Gosling of Kalamazoo, Kay’s children, Nicholas (& Katie) Petruska of Mattawan, Michigan and Amy (& Mike) Lin of Kalamazoo; step-children, Bruce (& Leslie) Gosling of White Pigeon, Michigan and Chris (& Linda) Gosling of Roselle, Illinois; grandchildren, Christopher Lin, Alex Lin and Emmett Petruska, Joseph Petruska, Nathaniel Hunt, Cory Dillon Petruska, Megan Gosling, Ian Gosling, Tammy Gosling and Josh Gosling. Kay is also survived by her sister, Wendy Kiehn Boughton of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The funeral service for Kay Kiger Petruska Gosling will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 8, 2016 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Fran Lane-Lawrence of First Presbyterian Church, Niles officiating.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2-5:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Donations in memory of Kay may be made to either the Williamsburg Foundation or to the Alzheimer’s Association.