Kathleen Mary Luedtke, 65, died February 2, 2021 from cancer, with her family by her side at her home in Onalaska, Wisconsin.

Kate was born on June 30, 1955, in York, Pennsylvania, the first daughter of Jim and Ruth Kennedy. Her family moved to Wisconsin in 1969, and she graduated from St. Mary’s Springs High School in Fond du Lac in 1973.

Kate loved gardening, cooking, and watching nature in general and birds in particular.  She had a wonderful sense of humor and always treasured her time with her kids and grandkids.  Her kids and grandkids looked forward to her annual shipment of delicious homemade Christmas cookies.  Kate was a gifted artist and crafter.  She was known for the creative Halloween costumes she made and the cakes she baked and decorated.  She put countless hours into sewing beautiful quilts that she made for each of her sons, grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Among the many professions Kate worked, she found joy in traveling the country while long-haul trucking and nature watching while working as a security guard at a paper mill on the Wisconsin River.

Kate is survived by her siblings, Jim (Maggie), Bob (Lori), Meg (Cory), and Liz (Scott); her two sons, Joe (Amy), and Jim (Leigh), and her six grandchildren: Mya, Rowan, Cameron, Annabelle, Ariel and Remy.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Ruth; her brother, Tom, and her granddaughter, Liberty.

A celebration of life for Kate will be held outdoors in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, Kate’s family suggests a donation to the Hunger Task Force of LaCrosse, lacrossehtf.org.