Kathleeen A. Hefti was born on April 18, 1929, in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  She died peacefully on May 12, 2026.

Kathleen was the daughter of Nicholas J. Schmitt and Anna S. Polivoda.

Kathleen graduated from Aquinas High School in 1946.  She begrudgingly began work at her dad’s root beer stands.  She later made many friends working at La Crosse Plumbing Supply, the Auto Lite, and retired from Frank-Len after 25 years.

She was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Parish and the VFW Auxiliary.

Kathleen married Charles Hefti in La Crosse on May 15, 1955.  She left the North Side and proudly lived in her South Side home for over seventy years.  Charlie died in 1999.

After retirement, she volunteered at Southern Bluffs School for many years.

She was also proceeded in death by her mom and dad and siblings:  Robert Schmitt, Thomas Schmitt, Mary Beeck, and Lorraine Pittenger.

Together Kathleen and Charlie had one son Paul, who survives along with his wife Maureen, both of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kathleen is also survived by her grandchildren: Noah Hammes-Hefti and Zoe Hammes-Hefti (Alex Elliott), both of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and Rei Bangerter of Salt Lake City.

Kathleen is also survived by her beloved brothers and amazing sisters-in-law: James (Janice) Schmitt and Raymond (Rosie) Schmitt.  She is also survived by brother-in-law Willis Hefti.  She was also blessed to have had a wonderful niece nearby, Betty Foley, who doted on Kathleen for years.

Kathleen leaves numerous other nieces and nephews and many more relatives.  She was also lucky to count many friends whom she survived and missed daily.

Kathleen loved to sit on the porch, knit, read and share books, watch The Wheel, listen to Al Martino, finish the most difficult jigsaw puzzles, and harvest and bake things with rhubarb.

Special thanks to the kind and generous staffs of Gundersen Hospice Care, Hallowstone at Onalaska, and Bethany St. Joseph.  Funeral arrangements by Coulee Region Cremation Group are forthcoming.