Kathy Dianne Endres

Kathy Dianne Endres passed away on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at the age of 78.

A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Renew Church of Waco, with military honors and a reception following in the fellowship hall.

She will be interred next to her late husband Colonel (Ret.) Warney L. Crosby Jr. (“Beau”) in Colorado Springs, CO.

Kathy’s life was marked by adventure, determination, and a willingness to take the road less traveled.

Born into an Air Force family, Kathy moved several times during her early childhood as her father, Robert Endres, was in the Air Force. She spent most of her childhood in Oklahoma City, OK, until the family planted their roots in Alvord, TX. After graduating Alvord High School, she spent a year and a half at Texas Women’s University in Denton but decided she didn’t like the career options of teaching or nursing.

Kathy’s career soon took her places—and into circumstances—that few women of her generation experienced. In 1975, during the height of the Cold War, she was sent to Germany to serve as a weather observer supporting U.S. Army helicopter operations near the East German border. At a time when women were generally not assigned to areas considered potential combat zones, Kathy’s qualifications and the military’s need for a weather observer made her uniquely suited for the assignment.

Stationed at an Army airfield less than 20 miles from the East German border, Kathy provided weather observations for Cobra, Huey, and OH-58 helicopter pilots conducting border surveillance. She lived in a small apartment in the basement of a family home in town and spent three years in Germany. Her assignment was both an adventure and a testament to her determination to pursue opportunities wherever they led.

Kathy ultimately served in the United States Air Force for 7 years, upon discharge she attended the University of Texas Austin through the G.I. Bill. She joined the Air Force Reserves in 1983, serving until 1991, which turned out to be a good move, as she met Beau in 1986 at Bergstrom, who was also in the reserves. They were married in the summer of 1986.

After a career in property management in several locations around the United States, Woodway became the retirement home for Kathy and Beau in 2003. Over the intervening years, Kathy served in several roles in her local McLennan County Republican Party women’s group, hosted bunco and bridge at her home in Woodway, lovingly served many delicious meals through Meals on Wheels, and served as a mentor to Air Force enlistees.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents Robert (Bob) and Betty Endres of Alvord, TX, and her husband of 38 years, Beau.

She is survived by her children: Ralene Simmons, Bret and Nikki Crosby, and Casey and Michelle Crosby; grandchildren: Violet, Aven, and Coco Crosby, and Geoffery Simmons; siblings: Doris and Mike Flora, Marshall and Donna Endres, and Greg and Patricia Endres; and nieces: Lesley Flora Triptow, Meagan Endres Mann and Rachel Endres Salvagio.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you make a donation in Kathy’s honor to Heifer International www.heifer.org or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital www.stjude.org.

We invite you to leave a message or memory of Kathy in her “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WHBfamily.com.