Woman who died at 97 shares her signature fudge recipe on her headstone

Most headstones include information such as names, birth dates, and death dates. But for Kathryn Andrews, her unique headstone displays her best fudge recipe.

Set in Logan Cemetery in Utah, the headstone has been gaining popularity worldwide, thanks to photos being shared on different social media platforms.

“She really loved people,” Janice Johnson said of her mother, Kathryn, who went by “Kay.”

Janice said she would write poetry and bring her famous fudge whenever there’s a get-together.

Kay’s husband, Wade Andrews, first passed away in 2000. The couple’s headstone and the engravings in them provide a peek into the incredible lives that they lived.

Janice said her mom was crazy about her dad from the beginning. The pair were both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and met at a church event in New York City.

Kay moved from Utah to New York to study and fashion design, while Wade was already a U.S. Air Force Captain due to return to Europe.

Kay and Wade only had time for one date—a dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. A photographer at the hotel snapped a photo of the pair, and the following day, Wade left for the war.

Kay, who went by “Katie” at the time, made an impression on Wade.

When he first got his B-24 bomber, the crew had painted a naked lady on it. But the man said the lady got a swimming suit, and that painting became “Salt Lake Katie.”

During their separation, the couple wrote over a hundred letters to each other. And when Wade’s duties were over, he traveled to Salt Lake City and asked Kay to marry him.

“Took her to the Capitol steps and gave her the Diamond and they were married 18 days later,” Janice said.

The couple had never seen each other in daylight until after their engagement as their date at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and their trip to the Capitol Building in Utah had taken place at night.

Kay and Wade tied the knot on December 18, 1944, and went on to have five children.

The Andrews family moved around the country a lot, living in Michigan, Ohio, and Colorado as Wade earned his Ph.D. in Sociology and became a professor. They ultimately settled in Logan.

Janice said her mom is the type of person who always looked out for others. The kind woman even kept Tootsie Rolls in her purse in case she meets children who need to have their day brightened.

Kay also kept a strong faith.

“She felt like prayer was so important. She lived by that,” Janice said.

When Wade passed away in 2000, Kay helped select the images that will represent him on one side of the headstone she now shares with him.

Her children suggested that she get equal billing, and Kay decided she wanted her best fudge recipe to be displayed there.

Kay went home to her creator in 2019 at the age of 97.

She was aware of the growing popularity of her headstone before her passing as it had been engraved there earlier. She’s glad that it made so many people smile.

Janice said the first headstone made included a typo that called for one tablespoon of vanilla, which can result in “runny fudge.” It has been recently updated to read one teaspoon.

If you’re in the mood to make some, here is Kay’s signature fudge recipe.

2 squares chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
Melt on low heat
Stir in 1 cup milk
Bring to boil
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Cook to softball stage
Pour on marble slab
Cool & beat & eat

Kay’s headstone ended with the words, “Wherever she goes, there’s laughter.”

Learn more about this story and best fudge recipe in the video below.

What a sweet way to honor a loved one’s memory! Please share this story with your friends and family.