Kay Thea Polhamus Drury

Kay Thea Polhamus Drury passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. It was a peaceful transition after a brief bout with ovarian cancer, at home, surrounded by love and care. We like to envision her in heaven—her bare feet in the grass, holding hands with her beloved Fred, and listening to Chuck Mangione.

Kay was born in Philadelphia and raised first in West Palm Beach, then in Melbourne, Florida, the cherished only child of Kitty and Herm. She grew up crabbing, fishing, and canoeing on the Indian River. As a teen, she parked cars and dee-jayed, and when it came time for college, she took a two-day-long Greyhound bus trip north to study science.

At the University of Rochester, Kay met fellow student Fred Drury, the love of her life, whom she married in 1965. She received a Bachelor of Arts, then a Master of Science. Kay was a science teacher for many years and is remembered fondly by her past students. Her passion for teaching extended to her home life; her children might encounter lab mice, an examination of pond water via microscope, or a dissection of a recently caught fish. She truly loved teaching, and her zest for learning never dimmed, either. She could often be found bent over, studying something she’d noticed growing under a tree root. Kay loved travel, too, and took trips to the Galapagos and Australia, among other places.

She is survived by daughter Kathryn Drury Wagner (Brett) and their children, Zoë and Delilah; son Jonathan (Alicia D’Arienzo Drury) and their children, Madison and Jackson; sister-in-law Carol DeMay (Marshall); nephew Mike DeMay (Cyndie) and their children, Cameron, Isabella and Delanie; and niece, Kelly DeMay Davis (Steve) and their children, Sammie and Paige. The D’Arienzo family also became part of her extended and beloved family.

A pragmatic, nonjudgmental (mostly), and loving (always) force, she was a second mother to many young people. She was a good neighbor, a “meh” cook, and a huge Bills fan. After her husband passed in 1981, she bravely raised her children alone, even tackling projects like finishing the basement—framing the walls and running the electrical herself. She was an amazing, fiercely independent woman.

Kay envisioned passing as gently getting on a boat and sailing away, and while we will miss her so very much, we are grateful to have been part of her time here on Earth.  

A celebration of her life will be held in the coming months. 

.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kay Thea Polhamus Drury, please visit our floral store.