When someone passes away, they’re often remembered for all the great things they did on earth.
Maybe they were known for taking in stray animals, or perhaps they invented something new. In the case of 97-year-old Kathryn Andrews, it was her special fudge recipe that people would remember her for.
In fact, Kathryn’s recipe was so iconic that when she was buried, it featured pride of place on her headstone.
Kathryn, known to her loved ones as Kay, was buried alongside her husband Wade. On their headstone was the dates they were born and passed away, along with Kay’s special fudge recipe.
The couple were both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and first met at a church function in New York. Kay was studying fashion design at the time, after moving to New York from her home town of Utah.
Heartbreakingly, Kay and Wade only had chance to go on one date– dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel– before Wade had to leave.
A US Air Force Captain, he was summoned to fight in the second World War.
Despite the distance between them, both Kay and Wade were determined to make things work. There was a spark between them from the very beginning, and nothing was going to get in the way of that.
“She was crazy about him from the beginning,” Kathryn’s daughter Janice Johnson told KSTU.
While Wade was away, the couple kept in touch by exchanging dozens of letters. When he eventually returned home, Wade wasted no time in making Kay his wife.
He proposed to her in Salt Lake City, and 18 days later they were married.
The couple married on December 18, 1944, and raised five children. In the meantime, Wade graduated with a PhD in Sociology and became a professor.
When he passed away in 2000, Kay made sure that a symbol of a WWII plane took pride of place on his headstone, which is situated in Utah’s Logan Cemetery.
“He was really proud of his record because all the men that flew with him made it home safely,” Janice recalled.
Kay had already decided that she would be sharing her headstone with her husband, and that’s when the idea struck her to add her recipe.
When Kay passed away in 2019, the couple’s grave began to gain poularity– both online and in real life. The headstone gets a steady stream of visitors all year-round, and is just as popular online.
Kay’s delicious fudge recipe can be found below:
Kay’s Fudge
2 Sq. Chocolate
2 Tbs. Butter
Melt on low heat
Stir in 1 Cup Milk
Bring to boil
3 Cups Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
Cook to softball stage
Pour on marble slab
Cool and beat and eat
We wonder how many people have been inspired to create Kay’s fudge recipe since it was first engraved onto the couple’s headstone? We think it’s a brilliant idea!
Take a look at Kay and Wade’s story below:
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