Katharine Eichhorn

KATHARINE BRITTAIN SAFELY EICHHORN

Cedar Rapids

Katharine Brittain Safely Eichhorn, 2115 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Oct. 19, 2015.

Katharine was born in Cedar Rapids on Aug. 27, 1925, to Robert Clark and Alberta Althea Brittain Safely. She attended the Cedar Rapids schools and graduated from Franklin High School. She attended Coe College and received her B.A. in social work from Texas State College for Women.

On Aug. 19, 1948, she married John Clarence Eichhorn in Cedar Rapids.

Katharine is survived by three children, Julianne (Marty) Smith, Naples, Fla., John (Rita) Eichhorn, Lakewood, Colo., and Ellen Eichhorn (Vicki Schaar), Middletown, Conn.

She also is survived by five grandchildren, Thomas (Sarah) Anderson, Brittain (Steve) Ezzes, Abigail (Rich) Ommert, Emily (James) Henkel and Katharine Eichhorn. She had six great-grandchildren, John Rowan, Rosemary Katharine and Oliver Reid Anderson, Brittain and Sienna Henkel, and Lillian Brittain Ezzes.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her sister, Laura Owen; and brothers, Robert and Gordon Safely.

Katharine was the great-granddaughter of Civil War Medal of Honor awardee Brevet Lt. Col. Charles A. Clark, who settled in Cedar Rapids in 1876 and was an early mayor of the city. She was the granddaughter of Robert I. Safely, a founding member of the Cedar Rapids Country Club.

Katharine and John raised their family and lived in Cedar Rapids. She worked at City National Bank in Cedar Rapids. In 1969, the family moved to Newton, Iowa. While there, she worked for the Jasper County Department of Social Services, primarily in Homemaker Health Aid Services. In 1980, she and John moved to Des Moines. While there, she worked for the Iowa Department of Social Services where she certified day care centers and preschools. She volunteered as a docent at the Des Moines Art Center and, in retirement, she worked part-time at the Kavannaugh Art Gallery in West Des Moines. She and John moved back to Cedar Rapids in 2002.

Katharine loved her family and friends and was a master at bringing people together. She loved bridge and was a lifelong player.

Katharine belonged to Delta, Delta, Delta sorority, the Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Monday League and Christ Episcopal Church. Over the years, she was active in the Jaycees and the Republican party. She served on the state boards of Planned Parenthood and Homemaker Health Services. She and John enjoyed following the Hawkeyes, and attended nearly every home football game and many basketball games.

To celebrate her 90th birthday this year, her entire family of four generations came to Cedar Rapids to honor her with an Iowa tailgate party at Cottage Grove Place. She was so happy and honored to have her whole family together for that fun-filled occasion.

Katharine was a faithful caregiver to John over the years of a long illness. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends. She was an elegant woman of great taste, style and panache. Her sense of peace, thoughtfulness, loving smile, twinkling eyes and great sense of humor brought sunshine to all around her.

The family would like to recognize special friends and caregivers. Milton Westphalen, Carol Daniels and the staff at Cottage Grove Place have been loving, kind and thoughtful and greatly increased the quality of her life.

A celebration of her beautiful life is pending.

Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to Cottage Grove Place Foundation, 2115 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.

Online condolences may be conveyed at www.cedarmemorial.com.