St. Alphonsus remembers Ms. Kathy Mangin

Kathy Mangin, the St. Alphonsus music and choir director, died Saturday in a car accident. She was 66.

No one is quite sure how many years Ms. Kathy had been teaching, but St. Alphonsus Assistant Principal Lauren Ross remembers sitting in her music class when she was in seventh grade, 30 years ago. “Ms. Kathy was so talented that she could have gone anywhere in the world to share her talents. But she loved Mississippi and she loved our children. And she loved this school – she went to school here at St. Alphonsus- that she wanted to share her talents and her love of God and Mary with all of our students.”

Ms. Kathy often did travel, even out of the country to Saltillo, to share her gift, but she always found her way back to St. Alphonsus.

Ms. Kathy’s happy place was in the music room where she was able to share the love of music with the future generation.

The halls of St. Alphonsus are quiet this week as they mourn the loss of Ms. Kathy’s voice. Principal Eleanor Hartzog said, “The children have been making mementos to hang outside of her room. And just talking… we went yesterday and had a lot of conversation with the kids. Many of them shared their favorite memories. So, we’re choosing to remember her with happiness.”

Administration told News 25 that Ms. Kathy loved sending emojis and was a bit of a perfectionist during programs. These are traits they will dearly miss. Despite it all, St. Alphonsus will keep singing for Ms. Kathy.

Visitation for Ms. Kathy is tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 6:30 at the Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home on Porter Avenue. The funeral is at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church this coming Saturday at 11 a.m.