Catherine “Kay” Engberg
Catherine “Kay” Rose Lilek Engberg, a beloved matriarch, passed away on December 5, 2023, in Santa Barbara at the age of 94. Born on February 8, 1929, in Chicago, IL, to Paul and Katherine Lilek, Kay was the fifth of six children. She attended St. Xavier’s College in Chicago, then started work as a copy editor at the Chicago Sun Times, where she met Ed Engberg. The couple married in 1949 and built a life together that spanned several cities and countless memorable moments.
In the early years of their marriage Kay and Ed moved to Minneapolis and then to New York City, finally settling in Brooklyn Heights. By 1964 they had four children; in 1967 they packed up the family and moved to Santa Barbara. This relocation marked a new chapter for Kay, who embraced the Californian lifestyle, thriving in an environment radically different from the Midwest and East Coast cultural background she had grown up in. She even conquered the challenge of learning to drive. Friends and family fondly recall her initial driving style, navigating through the city using only right-hand turns until she mastered the art of turning left across oncoming traffic.
Known for her warm hospitality, Kay and Ed frequently hosted friends and family who traveled from New York and Chicago. These gatherings were filled with laughter, memorable meals, and the juxtaposition of intellectual discussion with Kay’s affection for slapstick humor, creating lasting bonds and cherished memories.
An early environmentalist, Kay believed in the importance of conserving resources, especially in California’s arid climate. She was an avid reader and a devout Catholic, attending St. Barbara’s Parish at the Mission and later participating in masses at St. Raphael’s. Over the years, she dedicated her time to volunteering with Catholic Charities and working, first at Hunt’s China Shop wrapping gifts, then at Sansum Medical Clinic, and finally for the Jackson Medical Group.
Kay leaves behind a legacy of love and family. She is survived by her four children, Tony Engberg (Sallysue Stein), Karen Engberg (Doug Jackson), Kristin James (Tim), and Elizabeth Engberg (Bob Lawrence). Kay’s spirit lives on in her grandchildren (James and Chelsea Engberg; Vanessa, Madeleine, Galen and Chessie Jackson; Anna, Dylan and Juliet James; and Gabe, Michaela and Eliza Lawrence), six great-grandchildren (Asher, Ellison, Emmett, Louis, Kay and Atley) and twenty nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Kay’s life is planned at Skofield Park, a place she held dear, where family and friends will gather for a BBQ and picnic in honor of her memory.
Kay’s family is particularly grateful to the staff at Heritage House for the kindness, dignity and care they provided during the final years of her life.