Reverend Kathy Wadsley

Reverend Kathy Wadsley, 74, of Storm Lake passed away Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at Park View Care Center in Sac City.

Memorial services will take place Friday, Jan. 10, at 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in Delaware Township Cemetery in Nemaha. Visitation will be held Thursday, Jan. 9, from 4-7 p.m. at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Croix Hospice, Storm Lake United Methodist Church, or Delaware Township Cemetery in care of Gerri Ringgenberg, 1951 Needham Ave., Nemaha, IA 50567.

Rev. Kathryn Louise Wadsley was born to Charles J and Marjorie I (Noll) Wadsley June 18, 1950, on Father’s Day in Storm Lake. She was baptized Nov. 5, 1950, in United Methodist Church in Nemaha. She attended Delaware Township Consolidated School in Nemaha for grades K-7 and grades 8-12 at Crestland Community School, graduating in 1968.

She attended Buena Vista College in 1968-1972, graduating with a BA degree in 1972 with a major in music education and a minor in French. Graduating cum laude, torch and tassel, honor roll and president’s list.

She taught music in several schools: Rock Valley Community School, Wall Lake Community School District and Cedar Valley Community School. She especially enjoyed the younger grades. She was named Outstanding Young Women in America 1973 and received the John Lennon Award for Outstanding Christian Educator, East Ohio Conference UMC in 2011.

Kathy’s Christian beliefs kept tugging at her and she answered God’s call. She was accepted as an Associate in Christian Education June 8, 1985; was recommended for Candidacy for Diaconal Ministry Feb. 18, 1991. Kathy attended Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and received her master of Christian education May 28, 1993, and was then ordained as Deacon June 13, 1998.

Rev. Kathy traveled to Japan and participated in an exchange program with the Methodist Church and felt her life was enriched by this experience. Rev. Kathy served at First United Methodist Church, Cedar Falls; Ankeny First United Methodist Church; Diaconal Minister of Education and Program for EUMC in Easley, S.C.; Faith United Methodist Church, Rockville, Md.; Hudson United Methodist Church in Hudson, Ohio; and St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, Bowie, Md.

Rev. Kathy served on numerous church, educational and community committees in the different communities she lived in. She put on conference programs for continuing education at several of the educational conferences she attended.

In 2016, Kathy retired and moved to Storm Lake to be around her parents. She was a member of Storm Lake United Methodist Church, assisting wherever she was needed with the different children’s and outreach programs.

In her spare time she played the organ for SLUMC as a college student, bass clarinetist in SL Muni Band and community choirs wherever she lived, taught private piano and organ lessons. She wrote poetry, created a three-year common lectionary Advent-Christmas and Lenten Calendars which are still distributed.

Rev. Kathy traveled to Scotland and visited with a nephew and his family and enjoyed the short time she spent with them. Living in the DC area, she had the opportunity to visit another nephew and cherished getting to spend time there.

While residing in Park View Care Center, Miss Kathy had many friends with staff and residents and was usually seen wearing her red hat. Kathy loved to participate in the many activities.

Kathy has five siblings: Joe Wadsley (Karen) of Odebolt; Sadie (Shirlee) M. Hawkins Hatcher of Green Valley, Ariz.; Lona Munger (Don) of Nemaha; C. Alan Wadsley (Angie) of Peterson; Roy Wadsley (Le) of Nemaha; nine nieces and nephews; and 17 great-nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by Charles J. Wadsley, father; Marjorie I. Wadsley, mother; grandparents: Clarence and Florence Wadsley, Jim and Lora Noll; Joe Hatcher, brother-in-law; Dick Hawkins, brother-in-law; and Carrie J. Wadsley, niece.