Kathleen "Kay" Blier

Kay Blier of York passed away peacefully at home in her sleep on September 10, 2023. She was 91. Kay grew up in New Jersey, just outside of New York City, the daughter of John and Anna Lawler. Her father was an electrician who worked for Warner Brothers; her mother was a traditional homemaker. She had one sibling, a younger sister. Living close to New York while growing up was exciting for her and greatly influenced her life.

While some of Kay's fondest childhood memories were of going to New York to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and Broadway shows, it was her love of clothes, and her extraordinary talent at designing and sewing that changed her life. As a young girl, she designed and made clothes for her dolls, and as she got older, she started making clothes for herself, her mother, and her sister. She became a very talented designer and dressmaker. Her father, a stylish individual in his own right, encouraged Kay to pursue her interest in fashion. After high school, Kay enrolled at the McDowell School of Fashion and Design in New York City. When she graduated from design school, she worked for about 5 years in New York. Initially, she sewed samples for designers. Eventually, she was the designer, selecting the appropriate fabric for the design, and considering the production costs and selling price for the item.

It was while working in New York that she met her husband, Sylvan, who was from Brooklyn, also working in the fashion industry. They were married in 1955, and after living and working in Allentown, PA for about 10 years, moved to York in 1965 with their two young children when Sylvan took a position with The Bon-Ton Department Store. Kay became active in the community. In addition to volunteering at her children's schools while they were growing up, she joined the Catholic Women's Club, eventually becoming its president, and participated in the Welcome Wagon club. Kay and Sylvan were married for more than 41 years until he passed away in December 1996. She often said that she could not have had a better partner in life.

Kay is survived by her daughter Mary Blier Reynolds (Dave Reynolds) of Lexington, MA; her son, Bill Blier (Nancy Edson) of Washington DC; as well as 5 grandchildren (Kathleen "Katie" Fitzgerald (Adam Fitzgerald), Matthew Reynolds, Rachel Blier, Daniel Blier, and Ben Blier) and 3 great-grandchildren (Bailey, Jamie, and Rhys Fitzgerald). She is also survived by her sister, Patricia Murphy of Riverdale, New Jersey.

Visitation will be at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 219 S. Beaver St., York, PA 17401, at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 14, 2023, followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 a.m. The interment service will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in honor of Kay's memory (stjude.org). An online guestbook is available at www.geiple.com