Kathryn Stortz
Kathryn Stortz, age 88, of Waukon passed away peacefully Friday, June 4, 2021 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 12 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Friends may greet the family prior to the service from 10-11 a.m. at the church. Kathryn’s ashes will be buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, rural Waukon at a later date.
Kathryn Mary (Schulte) Stortz was born November 2, 1932 in La Crosse, WI. The daughter of Andrew and Catherine (Griffin) Schulte, Kathryn was baptized at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Waukon. She attended country school at the Howard School in Makee Township through the eighth grade. Kathryn went on to attend St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Waukon through her junior year; and graduated from Waukon High School in 1950.
In 1951, Kathryn met Francis Stortz at her cousin’s wedding dance in Harpers Ferry. She and Francis were united in marriage February 25, 1952 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Lycurgus) in Allamakee County. Francis and Kathryn settled west of Waukon where they began farming together and raised a family of 10 children.
Over the next 28 years, Kathryn filled her days as a homemaker while working alongside Francis and her children on the farm. She enjoyed gardening, canning and doing fieldwork.
Kathryn took her first job off the family farm in 1980 as a Certified Nurses Aide at the former Allamakee County Home, which was later known as Makee Manor. She retired from Makee Manor after 25 years in 2005 and worked part-time at TASC, Inc. in Waukon until her late 70s.
Kathryn will be remembered as a talented woman who enjoyed sewing, quilting and crocheting. She will be forever cherished for her homecooked meals, holiday cookies and apple pies.
Kathryn is survived by her husband of 69 years, Francis; and 10 children: Angela (Todd) Desrosiers of Atlanta, GA, Christine (Frank) Wolbert of Ventura, CA, Rachelle (Alasdair) Cripps of Glenview, IL, Jenny (John) Opfer of Waukon, Steve (Donna) Stortz of Waukon, Mary Francis (Jeff) Burke of Decorah, Coni (John) Leonard of Stillwater, MN, Diane (Jack) Allision of Waukon, Becky Johnson of Marion and Louise Lawson of Santa Fe, NM. Kathryn is also survived by her 27 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and her brothers, Don Schulte and Greg Schulte of Scottsdale, AZ. Kathryn is preceded in death by her parents and five brothers.
