In Tallulah, Kathy Gultery’s work reaches from the classroom to the school board and into churches, neighborhoods and support groups across Madison Parish.
For more than four decades, Gultery has operated a childcare center, caring for generations of children in the community.
“I've been childcare for over 40 years,” she said.
Three years ago, she added another role to her list of responsibilities when she was elected to serve as a school board member for District 4. In that position, she helps make decisions that affect students and families across the parish.
“Three years ago, I was elected for a school board member in District four,” Gultery said.
Her life, however, extends beyond education and government service. She is also active in ministry at Travis Rest Baptist Church under Pastor Eddie Reed King and Elder King, where faith shapes much of her daily outlook.
Turning Grief Into Service
Nearly five years ago, Gultery lost her son. Five months later, in 2021, she lost her husband of more than 40 years.
“It is still rough,” she said.
During that time, Gultery said she felt called to bring together women who had experienced similar loss.
“He told me that you should get a group together of women's who have lost a child,” she said.
That calling led to the creation of Mothers of Heaven Gaines more than two years ago.
“Over two years ago we formed a group together called Mothers of Heaven Gaines,” Gultery said. “It truly have been a blessing to myself.”
The group meets regularly and centers its mission on healing through service.
“We laugh, we talk, we cry, and we do community service,” she said.
Members of Mothers of Heaven Gaines have delivered hygiene baskets to Legacy, hosted bingo activities and provided Thanksgiving baskets to elderly residents in the community. They have decorated doors at apartments near the community center and reached out to grieving mothers both locally and in other states, including Nevada and Florida.
“We do something every three months in the community,” Gultery said.
When a mother in Tallulah loses a child, the group sends flowers, cards or items bearing the organization’s logo as a sign of support.
Gultery described service as a form of healing.
“When you helping or when you're doing something, you take your hurt, your pain, your sorrow and use that to see someone else to smile,” she said. “To me it is medication in my storm.”
She later helped organize Women of Faith, a group for widows who have lost their spouses.
“We do meet together and have time. We laugh, we talk, we cry, and we do community service,” she said.
Both groups, she said, focus on keeping members engaged and connected while honoring their loved ones.
A Work Ethic Built on Commitment
Balancing childcare, school board duties and ministry requires persistence.
“I know it all needs to be done,” Gultery said. “If I start it, I'm going to try to finish it.”
That approach has guided her through decades of work in early childhood education. Her childcare center has served families in Tallulah for more than 40 years, making her a familiar figure to parents and former students alike.
As a school board member, she brings the same commitment to meetings, policies and decisions affecting the parish’s public schools.
Faith as a Foundation
Gultery said her faith began in childhood. Raised alongside 11 siblings, she attended Sunday school and church every week.
“My mother made sure each and every one of us got up and went to Sunday school every Sunday,” she said.
She watched her mother pray for her children and serve others in the community, even when resources were limited.
“You could take a little and do a lot,” Gultery said.
She said that lesson stayed with her.
“I only have a little, not a lot, but I love sharing it with others,” she said.
As she grew older, she said the values instilled in her did not fade.
“You plant a seed in your children and it's going to blossom sometime,” she said. “By the grace of God, I stayed there.”
She passed those same principles on to her own three children, emphasizing faith, service and community involvement.
Continuing the Work
Through her childcare center, Gultery continues shaping young lives. Through her role on the school board, she helps guide educational policy. Through Mothers of Heaven Gaines and Women of Faith, she supports women facing loss.
Her message to others is rooted in the example she witnessed growing up.
“You could take a little and do a lot,” she said. “You'd be surprised how you can impact others with kind words, with a helping hand, with a smile.”
For Gultery, service is not separate from faith. It is an extension of it.
“I will continue giving God the glory for it all,” she said.
In Madison Parish, that combination of education, ministry and outreach defines a life dedicated to helping others move forward, even in the face of hardship.
