The Painter Family

The Spring of 2015 was shaping up to be one of those milestone moments for Katie and Seth Painter. 

They had just purchased their first home together in the vibrant Overland Park community, and they were preparing to tie the knot. Moving and planning a wedding … while exciting, also a bit hectic when doing both at the same time. 

“Stress level at 100,” Katie said. 

But hey, once the big things were out of the way, it would be smooth sailing. 

Ring ring. 

“I received a phone call out of the blue,” Katie said. “It went something like, ‘What are the chances you would want to come back to southeast Kansas?’” 

Kannarr Eye Care, 2521 N. Broadway, was looking for a third optometrist. Katie -– ahem, Dr. Painter — who had known Dr. Shane Kannarr since high school and went through optometry school at the University of Missouri – St. Louis with Dr. Chris Jacquinot, was just the person for the job. 

Despite everything going on in their lives, Katie was sold and ready to accept … so long as Seth was on board. And that was never in question. 

“Seth was and has always been so supportive,” Katie said, “and with this decision it was no different. He was not only willing but also excited for our new adventure in Pittsburg.”

“It was a great opportunity for both of our life goals,” Seth said, “so we jumped.” 

Seth Painter, a native of Columbia, Mo., is a construction estimator who has always had an interest in building things, creating. His grandfather, who served as superintendent for McCarthy Bros. in St. Louis, was among his most important inspirations. 

“LEGO kits were a must every Christmas as a child,” he said. “Once, I built a sand castle city with tiered skyscrapers and dual lane stick bridges. It lasted until the first heavy rain. My grandfather worked on many sites across the county and around the world. I have a couple of pictures of him on a job site that I keep in my office as mementos.” 

When the time came to move from Kansas City to Pittsburg, Seth wasn’t sure what to think. He didn’t know much about Pitt. What he found when they got here, though, was a very pleasant surprise.

“I wasn't aware of the efforts Pittsburg was making toward growth and expansion before moving here and getting involved,” Seth said. “Many of the places I've lived or worked in for any length seem content to maintain a status quo or pay lip service to growth and community improvement. I'm impressed and encouraged about Pitt's future.”

He said Pitt is the ideal size for their family and quality of life.

“It's big enough to have the basic outlets and amenities (restaurants, shopping, hospitals/ clinics, recreation, arts),” he said, “while still having a rural appeal. Larger cities aren't inconveniently far away if needed, and there are dozens of family-oriented community events to frequent right here.”

Katie, who grew up in Oswego, said she was excited to return to “small town” life in Southeast Kansas. 

“Coming from the Kansas City area, we are happy to be raising our child in a small town,” she said. “The size of Pittsburg is big enough to have lots of different opportunities in terms of sports and arts, but still small enough to feel that sense of community.”

Living in Pittsburg, she said, brings back many memories from her childhood. 

“Pittsburg is really a cool town,” Katie said. “I remember coming to Pittsburg as a kid and thinking it was such a big town compared to Oswego. As I got older and having lived in various cities like St. Louis, Des Moines, and most recently Kansas City, I was worried it was going to feel too small. We’ve been pleasantly surprised with how much Pittsburg has to offer with activities, shows, restaurants, etc.”

When they’re not working, Katie and Seth spend most of their time with their 1-year-old daughter, Nora. 

“She loves going to the playground, and going down the slide is definitely her jam,” Katie said. “She could seriously go for hours making the same loop on the slide. She likes to go down headfirst too, so maybe she’ll end up a little bit of a daredevil like me.”

And when Katie said “daredevil like me,” she means it. 

“I’m a bit of a thrill seeker,” she said. “I went bungee jumping with my dad when I was 12 and skydiving with my mom a few years ago.”

When the opportunities arise, both enjoy getting outside. 

“We enjoy hiking with the dog at the park, bicycle riding, and adventure trips like whitewater rafting,” Seth said. 

While the decision to accept Kannarr’s offer and move to Pittsburg was easy, there was that whole thing about the house they just bought in Overland Park. 

“Thankfully, the housing marketing in Kansas City was and is really hot,” she said. “By the time we put it on the market, it was 11 months after we bought it. We asked $10,000 more than we paid and received a full price ask the first day on the market. The logistics of getting it sold were quite easy.

“We loved that house,” she said. “It was our first house together. That definitely gave us the most pause when considering the relocation.”

In the end, though, Pittsburg was where they were supposed to be.

“Looking back,” Katie said, “it was absolutely the right decision.”