Kay Thomas playing her dulcimer.
This Ozark Folk Center 50th Anniversary Legacy Photo is in honor of Kay Thomas.
With appreciation and love, Harriet Farley, member of the Committee of One Hundred.
As a young girl, Kay Finley attended the Rackensack programs led by George Fisher and Ken Blessing at the Art Center in Little Rock and there she saw Percy Copeland, Bookmiller Shannon, and Jimmy Driftwood. That apparently began her love of all things “folk”.
In 1966, Kay and her parents came to the Folk Festival in Mountain View. They “camped” in their old Plymouth on the school grounds where many others were doing the same. She said, “We came through terrible rain to get here, but I loved the place at first sight. My parents loved it as well and moved here after retirement in 1972.”
Kay Finley was born in Little Rock July 30, 1950. Her mother, Letha Berry Finley and her father, L. E. Finley were both born in Arkansas. The family moved from Little River County to Little Rock in 1947 to provide better opportunities for her brother Larry, who was born in 1934.
Kay’s mother was a quilter and her father played fiddle. She recalled that her father grew up in the Church of Christ singing shaped notes, and had a nice singing voice. She recalled, “My dad actually was born in Goodwater, a stone's throw across what is now the Arkansas line, in Oklahoma. That area was a wild frontier in the early 1900's and he had many stories of Indians and hard times!”
After moving to Mountain View in 1968, Kay worked for the Blanchard Shirt Company, then in a small dress shop. This is her story:
“Two of the first people I met when I moved here were Judy and Gene Klemmedson. Judy was a
wonderful singer and Gene made dulcimers. He gave me a kit to put together and Judy taught me
to play.
Lynn McSpadden knew me through music and sent Les Richardson to see if I might be interested in
working as the sales clerk for The Ozark Foothills Handicraft Guild at the Ozark Folk Center, due to
open in 1973. I became Crafts Director at the Folk Center in 1976, working for Arkansas State
Parks.
I spent from 1973 until I retired in 2004 at The Ozark Folk Center. I enjoyed the people I worked
with so much! I don't have words for the degree of thankfulness for that opportunity. I was able to
play old time music at OFC through the years, with The Blairs, Leatherwoods, Buffalo Gals, Granny
Chicks and Chinkypin.”
Kay remains active in quilting, antiques, music and volunteer work.
Entry by Janice Sutton with input from Kay Thomas.
The Committee of One Hundred Tribute Wall recognizes contributions to the preservation of Ozark folk culture.
If you would like to help preserve the folk culture of the Ozarks, consider a
The Committee is made up entirely of volunteers so, except for transaction fees, all of your donation funds music, craft, or the herb gardens and, as a 501c3 entity
your donation is tax deductible!
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