Kathryn Brandes Hermsen entered Eternal Life on Jan. 1, 2026, with her loving husband by her side at Presbyterian Hospital in Plano, Texas. She was born in Wichita on Oct. 15, 1948, and grew up in Cheney, Kan. – a great small town with grandparents, aunts, uncles and many cousins to play with close by.

She graduated from Cheney High School as valedictorian of the class of 1966 and attended KU (Rock Chalk Jayhawk KU!) and obtained a B.S. in business administration. After working in Wichita for Jim Hershberger, she moved to Dallas, Texas, and worked at several different businesses. Her long-term jobs were with Mr. Cloyce Box CEO at Box Energy as his administrative secretary until his death. She then worked for Northwestern Mutual and Benefits Corporation of Texas as a spread sheet analyst in the insurance industry. Kathy was also the bookkeeper of Hermsen Design Assoc., Inc., her husband's business in packaging graphic design of consumer products. She was always an excellent student and employee wanting to be the best at anything she attempted.

She married Jack (John) Hermsen on March 15, 1986, and lived in North Dallas. She was a loyal friend and loved her family and nephews. She enjoyed going to church services until the pandemic hit in 2020, followed by declining health issues which prevented her from attending. She didn't have hobbies – work was her hobby.

Kathy was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and spent the last one year at home with loving caregivers, Monica and Jenn, and under the care of her loving husband who took her to get her hair fixed and then out to lunch or dinner every week.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Esther (Uppendahl) Brandes, Cheney, and is survived by her husband of 39 years, Jack Hermsen of Dallas; sisters, Sharman Edwards from Morgan, Texas, her two sons, Christopher (Allison) and Steven (Happiness) and their children and Barbara (Hugh) Knighton from Arab, Ala., and their two sons, Trey and Jonathan and many extended families on her husband's side, sisters-in-law Mary Catherine Allee (Don), Suzanne Denno and Annette Simmons, and brothers-in-law, Thomas Hermsen, Christopher Hermsen, Robert Hermsen and David and (Sue) Hermsen.

Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, Dallas.

The family requests that, if you wish, donations be made to UT Southwestern Neurology Clinic, Dallas, Texas.