Kathleen Amelia Sedlock

Kathleen Amelia Sedlock, née Swory, passed away peacefully with family on October 1, 2026, at her home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She was 83.

Born on September 29, 1943, in Cleveland, Ohio, Kathleen built a life deeply rooted in music, learning, family, and hospitality. After graduating from Collinwood High School in 1961, she was a singer/songwriter performing in local bars and clubs where she would meet her future husband. After marrying Regis in 1963, she started her beautiful family and later pursued her education with dedication, earning her Arts and Education degrees at Tri-C and Cleveland State University.

Her music degrees remained among her most prized possessions, alongside her grand piano, which held a special place in her life and work. Music shaped the course of Kathleen’s life and career. She was a music teacher for students of all ages, and her work reflected both range and commitment. She began her teaching career with children, working with kindergarten-aged students and embracing the challenge of bringing them together through the power of music. She loved introducing young children to music in an engaging and meaningful way. Over the years, Kathleen taught at several local grade schools and at The Phyllis Wheatley Association in Cleveland, where she would eventually retire.

Her work as an educator extended well beyond the classroom. Throughout her working years and after retirement, she taught piano, voice, and theory from her home in Cleveland Heights. In that setting, music remained a daily part of her life, and her home became a place of learning for many students. Hosting recitals for all her students was a most loved event. Most recently, she seamlessly adapted to online teaching for her students during and after the pandemic.

Her own participation in music was equally broad and longstanding. Kathleen wrote her own songs and music. She participated in multiple choirs over the years including Tri-C, CSU, as well as many local Churches and Synagogues. She conducted a Bell Choir for senior citizens, further sharing her musical knowledge and leadership with others.

Across each chapter of her life, music was not simply her profession; it was the thread that connected her education, career, and daily life. Kathleen was very devoted to her family. She dearly loved her husband, Regis P. Sedlock, Sr., who passed away earlier this year. Additionally, she is preceded in death by her Mother, Vera E. Cousins; her Father, Joseph Swory; and her Sister, Joanne Veracky. She is remembered by her son, Regis Sedlock Jr.; her daughters, Theresa Fowler (David), Sharon Guillot (David), and Karen Sedlock; her grandchildren, Adam Wahl, Olivia Risko (Adam), and Ashleigh Fowler; and her great grandchildren, Piper and Lennon…as well as many beloved nieces and nephews and friends. She loved her grandchildren with all her heart and was largely involved in helping to raise them in their early ages with her husband, Regis. 

Family life held great importance for Kathleen, and that devotion was evident in the traditions she created and maintained over many years. Family dinners were especially important to her, and she delighted in preparing themed meals that ranged from Mexican and Greek to Italian and Indian. Holidays and Birthdays were never overlooked, and her tables were known for their abundant layouts of food. Christmas Eve open houses became a favorite tradition for friends and neighbors of the family for many years, reflecting the welcome she extended through her home and hospitality. In addition to music and family, Kathleen enjoyed making things with her hands. She created beautiful custom greeting cards, paintings, knitted scarves and beaded jewelry, bringing care and creativity to each piece. These pursuits reflected another side of her life’s work: the pleasure she found in crafting, sharing, and making occasions feel special for others.

Kathleen will be remembered for a life marked by music, family, friends and traditions. Her legacy lives on in the generations she helped teach, the family she helped raise, and the many gatherings she filled with music, food, and welcome.

Services will be held Saturday, November 14, at noon at Brown-Forward Funeral Home, 17022 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH, where friends may call one hour before the service. The service will be livestreamed at a link on this page.