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Kaelynn Fay

April 26, 1995 - July 18, 2013
Kankakee, IL

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Visitation

Wednesday, July 24, 2013
2:00 PM to 8:00 PM CDT
Schreffler Funeral Homes
Kankakee Location
1900 W. Court St.
Kankakee, IL 60901
(815) 932-2421
Driving Directions

Service

Thursday, July 25, 2013
11:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
Bishop McNamara Catholic High School
500 W. Brookmont
Kankakee, IL 60901
(815) 932-7413

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

In Lieu of flowers memorials to the family's wishes would be appreciat

Life Story / Obituary


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With what should have been nearly a lifetime before her, Kaelynn Fay was taken from her loved ones much too soon. As all who knew her can attest, she put the spice into life, and she colored the world with her vibrant personality each and every day. A friend of Kaelynn’s was a friend for life, and there was nothing that she wouldn’t do for her friends either. It was easy to see that she lived by the motto that life is too short to sit around. A cheerleader through and through, Kaelynn was a gifted athlete who gave everything she did her very best. Life will never be the same without her here, but the legacy she leaves behind will continue to live on in the hearts and lives of those who were blessed to know and love her.

The year 1995 was filled with great joy for one young couple from Limestone, Illinois, as they were delighted to welcome a healthy baby girl into their hearts and home on April 26th. Kaelynn Taylor was the second of four girls born to her parents, Don and Gail (Johnston) Fay, at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee. She was raised in the family home alongside her sisters, Brianne, Allison, and Delanie, and she experienced a typical upbringing. Kaelynn was close to her sisters and served as a role model and trusted confidante to them. Her two pets, River and Buddy, were also important parts of her life.

From the time she entered the world Kaelynn was a bustle of activity. As a little girl she was known to run around the house with her magic wand that she often used to reach the lights. Kaelynn’s family also thought it was so cute how she used to say, “I want two, both of them,” when she was choosing cookies. Another one of her cute sayings was how she used to say that she wanted to play the “mcputer.” When she was younger Kaelynn loved spending time with her “Nema” and swimming in her pool. She discovered her athletic talents and fell in love with gymnastics as a member of Golden’s Gymnastic team. Kaelynn also enjoyed dance, volleyball, and being with her friends. She had the most beautiful eyes, and she won a beauty pageant when she was just three years old. Throughout her life Kaelynn’s parents were so proud of how she always tried her best at everything.

Spending time with her family was always a priority to Kaelynn. She looked forward to annual family vacations to the wilderness in the Wisconsin Dells, and there was also a special trip to Disney World. Getting ready for Christmas each year in the Fay family meant chopping down their Christmas tree while listening to Christmas carols. They culminated the Christmas tradition with a meal at Polk- A- Dots in Braidwood, IL.

As she got older Kaelynn lived and breathed cheerleading. It was her passion, and she worked tirelessly at becoming the best. Kaelynn’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed either as she was a state qualifier for Bishop McNamara Catholic High School Cheerleading Team in 2011. She also led the Mac cheerleaders to a top ten finish at the state level this past year. Kaelynn viewed this accomplishment to be the highlight of her life. Her teammates called her the “fearless flyer” as she never let fear hold her back from doing her best. Kaelynn was named MVP cheerleader by her teammates as well. She won numerous scholarships and awards for college this next year including business student of the year and Junior Achievement scholarship winner. Kaelynn was looking so forward to cheerleading at the collegiate level as she was a member of the Eastern Illinois University cheer team.

It was easy to see why Kaelynn had so many friends. She loved hanging out with her friends and the “senior six.” Kaelynn’s favorite vacations were spent visiting the Ozarks with her second family, the Webers, when there was plenty of tubing and boating. There were plenty of nights that Kaelynn had sleepovers at her house when the girls would sneak out of the house and onto the roof.

In her time away from cheerleading, Kaelynn still wholeheartedly applied herself to everything she did. Just this past spring she graduated from Bishop McNamara Catholic High School where her faith was strengthened by the people and experiences she had there. Kaelynn was also a lifeguard at Splash Valley, a cheer coach, and a tumbling instructor. She additionally enjoyed watching her favorite teams, the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cubs.

A courageous, fun-loving, and strong young woman, Kaelynn Fay was a blessing in the lives of those too numerous to count. She lived life on purpose and was firm believer in the notion that you only live once, or Yolo as she sometimes said, and she lived by the words “live, laugh, love, cheer.” Kaelynn was happy with a smile always on her lips, and she lived life with no regrets. She may have been small in stature at only four feet, eleven inches, but she had more than enough spunk to go around. It has been said that Kaelynn lived life to the fullest and one step beyond - her life an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

"Thank you Lord for this great day and all the things that came my way; and with tomorrow's coming light, please help me to always do what's right. Please help me walk in happy shoes and learn from every path I choose the lessons that are here for me to be the best me I can be, so when I lay me down to rest, I know I've done my very best."

Kaelynn Taylor Fay of Limestone died on Thursday, July 18, 2013. Kaelynn’s family includes her parents; three sisters, Brianne, Allison, and Delanie; paternal grandmother, Rose Marie Fay; aunts and uncles, Chris (Johnston) Fred Yonke, Debbie (Fay) and John Bloss, and Dale and Kelly Fay; cousins, George Yonke, Cassie (Bloss) Page, Levi Bloss, and Angela, Elliot and Kendall Fay. Kaelynn was preceded in death by grandparents, Mike and Darlene Johnston, Dean Fay; and her great-grandmother, Dorothy Fay. A gathering of family and friends will be from 2:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 24th at Schreffler Life Story Funeral Home, Kankakee Chapel. Funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at Bishop McNamara Catholic High School. Following the service, burial will be at Mound Ground Cemetery, Kankakee, IL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family wishes. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or sign the online guestbook.

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