“I’ll Fly Away”

A Memorial to Kathleen Wycoff
Born July 16, 1949- Died August 22, 2009

By Suzanne Payne

Last October we did a yard sale for Kathy Wycoff. There was an article in the Jackson County Times asking for financial help because Kathy had been diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer on Sept. 22, 2008. This type of breast cancer is very aggressive and fast spreading. At that time her cancer had spread to her cranium, sternum, spine and ribs. When we first heard about her cancer, Kathy and Brad had moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas.

During the last 2-3 years that Kathy and Brad had lived in Marianna we had become fast friends. It was at her home that the first organizational meeting of The Artist Guild of Northwest Florida met. Kathy was a founding member of The Artist Guild. Along with her gift of art, Kathy had a gift for hospitality and teaching and many of us studied the Bible at her home. When I came through her front door for the first time I was greeted with a genuine beaming smile. She was such an out-going, encouraging person. First and foremost was her dedication to God and her pastor husband of Christ Alliance, Brad. Second, was her family and friends and then art.

In March, 2006, while living in Marianna, my artist friend, Kathy Wycoff, decided to title her bench that she was painting for the 1st Annual Covenant Hospice Garden Gala Auction: “I’ll Fly Away.” I had gotten some “cast aside” house paint that was mixed wrong for very little expense, and we were sharing this new experience of painting on furniture and enjoying the subtle effect of ragging on gold paint to add texture. I had picked as my subject water lilies and Kathy had decided to do a fairy cut from plywood propped up on her bench. Kathy enjoyed doing people. Her art specialty was doing soft pastel portraits. She did a wonderful portrait of my grandson, Cole. Kathy was one of 5 girls and she had 2 brothers, one of which died of leukemia. Kathy did not want to take chemo, but later had to be treated with it. Her mother, Mary Emma Grosse, used to paint on the window panes when the girls were little, Kathy told me. So, maybe her mother passed down to Kathy and her sisters some artistic genes.

Why did she choose the title, “I’ll Fly Away?” Could it have been a premonition of what was to come? Or was it because she just wanted people to know about her hope of heaven. I believe it was because Kathy knew that she was going to heaven and wanted others to know of the eternal life with Jesus that they all could have. I don’t believe she knew she was going to die in a few short years. Her birthday and mine are only 2 days different. She was 60 on July 16, 2009. The song or hymn, “I’ll Fly Away,” was written by Albert E. Brumley in 1929. Some of the lyrics are: “Some glad morning when this life is over, To a home on God’s celestial shore, When the shadows of this life have gone. like a bird from prison bars has flown, Just a few more weary days and then, To a land where joy shall never end, a-a-a-I’ll fly away.”

All 5 of her children and their families spent Christmas 2008 at Magnolia Gardens Inn in Arkansas. It was a present to Kathy from all of them. Kathy was doing much better on her 60th birthday and even hosted a party for herself. Kathy’s time in Arkansas was a whirlwind literally. A tornado ripped through Mena destroying her mother’s and sister’s houses and didn’t even touch her mother or sister and child. It was really a miracle. Her Mom, whom Kathy came to help take care for in her last days, died shortly before Kathy did on August 15th. On August 15th, Kathy took a very sudden downturn. After draining 2 liters of fluid from her abdomen and running multiple tests, the doctors determined her liver was overrun with the cancer and there was cancerous activity all throughout her abdomen. Even then, Kathy asked the doctor, “You mean I’m not improving?” She was such a positive person and just exuded love.

It would be just one more week and Kathy would pass away to a “home on God’s celestial shore.” Her stomach then began bleeding and she was only able to stay alive with blood transfusions. Kathy passed away just eleven months after being diagnosed, at 1:30 a.m. on August 22, 2009, at Peachtree Hospice at Sparks Hospital. She was able to return home from Sparks Hospital on the 21st to be with her family for a little while, but had to return to the hospital for special care, and passed away soon after her arrival. Brad says that the family is relieved that, unlike many hospice patients, Kathy did not linger long, and the Lord brought her home quickly.



Tina Van Fleet, another friend and Artist Guild member wrote:

“This morning Kathy woke up in Paradise, sanctified and healed of her mortal illness forever.

I do not know the details, but she was home and prepared to pass through the valley of the shadow of death...it is only a shadow because she has now entered the glorious light of our Lord.

I grieve with you and reflect with you as we all know her so well in our hearts and minds...Kathy, a true minister of Hope was a gift to us for a short time…but time enough to believe even stronger in the holiness and dignity of living a life glorifying to God.

The standard has been set high by her life ..I pray we can honor her with a growing desire to grow closer to Jesus day by day.”

The pain of losing our dear Kathy is almost too much to bear. She was a special friend, one of my best friends, while here in Marianna. I will continue to cherish the prayers we had together and sitting at her feet in Bible study. I will also remember the times we did art together. She will really be missed but if she had to go, I’m glad she “flew away” to heaven. She will always hold a very special place in our hearts. How blessed the Wycoff family is to have had such a REMARKABLE woman, wife, grandmother and sister. WE WERE SO BLESSED TO HAVE HER AS A FRIEND AND ARTIST!

Her daughter, Kate, wrote just before her passing:

Today she is feeling joyful and that was such a joy to all of our hearts. She now seems emotionally ready to face this formidable enemy, death. I say enemy because Scripture says that “the last enemy to be swallowed up is death.” It is comforting to hear our Heavenly Father and Precious Jesus call death an enemy, don’t you think? He did not intend things to be this way! When I have said, “I just wish things could be different,” Bret has reminded me, “they will be!” Our hope is truly in Eternity...seated with Christ up above, in our Heavenly home. “But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:54

Jeff and Ruthanne Allen of Marianna wrote:

As we read the care page last night telling of Kathy’s final hours and her arrival in Heaven, we were deeply saddened but yet joyful that she is home and free at last. We received a beautiful message when the scripture was read in our Sunday School class this morning that we will pass on to you. We believed these words of comfort were to be shared with all of you and not kept for ourselves alone. And here it is: Psalm 84 – “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God, Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young -a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God, Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they are ever praising you.” We hope that this scripture will bring comfort and assurance to you. We send our love and prayers.



Editor’s Note: This is a tragic story of a talented, brave woman who was struck with this terrible disease. She was a fighter, but she was not a survivor in this dreaded battle. She is an example of why it is so important that we all work to support in improving diagnosis, treatment and overcoming breast cancer.