Kay McAdams Barrett

November 5, 1940 ~ August 4, 2026

Kay McAdams Barrett, 85, known affectionately as Kati to family and friends, passed away on August 4, 2026, in Clifton, Texas.

Kay was born on November 5, 1940, in Huntsville, Texas, to W. D. and Annette McAdams. Bright, cheerful, and popular throughout her school years, she was a twirler in the high school band, a member of the National Honor Society, and a two-year member of the Quill and Scroll. She served as editor of the Hornet, her high school yearbook, during her senior year, and in 1958 was elected Queen of the Spring Festival. She was in Who’s Who at HHS, and was a “Senior Beauty,” and deservedly so!

It was in high school that Kay's love affair with writing began, a passion she carried into her college years as an English major at Sam Houston State Teacher's College.

In August 1969, Kay married Bill Barrett in Valley Mills, which would remain her home for the rest of her life. Kati and Bill had three daughters, Melissa, Lacy and Polly. She devoted herself to her family and community, teaching Sunday School at First Baptist Church Valley Mills, serving on the Valley Mills School Board, and supporting Bill in his many business ventures.

Her support of Bill led to world-wide travel, including locations as far-flung as Australia, Nicaragua, and China. In 1983, Bill and Kati purchased the local newspaper, the Valley Mills Tribune, and created the Santa Gertrudis Tribune, a publication tied to the breed of cattle Bill raised.

Bill and Kati also maintained tree farms and other land-related interests in the Huntsville area. She was proud of her Certified Tree Farm status for those lands, demonstrating their com­mit­ment to stew­ard­ship of the land. She was honored with the Outstanding Tree Farmer of Texas Award in 2000.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents, W. D. and Annette McAdams, and by her sister, D'Anne McAdams Crews.

She is survived by her husband, Bill Barrett; her daughters, Melissa Allen (husband, Cannon), Lacy Butler (husband, Micah), and Polly Barrett; her grandchildren, Barrett Brown (wife, Bridget), Abigail Doege (husband, Seth), Garrett Allen, Katelynn Horton (husband, Ian), and William Flynn Barrett II ("Strike"); her great-grandchildren, Ansley Lynn Brown, Anson Gregory Brown, and Leighton Flynn Doege; her nieces, Kay Allison Crews and Kelly Anne Crews; and a host of other family.

Kati will be remembered for her warmth, her devotion to family, and the mark she left on the Valley Mills community through decades of service and dedication.

Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 pm Thursday August 6, 2026 at First Baptist Church, Valley Mills, TX with a graveside service 9:00 am Friday August 7, 2026 at Wortham Bend Cemetery, China Spring, TX. 

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Lutheran Sunset Ministries, Clifton, TX or the National Junior Santa Gertrudis Association.

Please join us in remembering Kay by signing our guestbook at

www.fossfuneralhome.com