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Kathy Gingerich
KATHY GINGERICH
Walford
A celebration of life for Kathy Gingerich, 68, of Walford, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 28, at the Kalona United Methodist Church with Pastor Gerry Kahler officiating. Burial will at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the National Cemetery in Vining. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Kalona United Methodist Church, American Cancer Society and Palliative Care Center at UIHC. Kathy Gingerich died Sunday, April 24, 2016, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from complications of AML (leukemia).
Kathleen Kay Gingerich was born March 2, 1948, in rural Elberon, Iowa, the daughter of Wilfred and Emma (Vileta) Homolar. She attended York No. 1 country school near Elberon and Toledo and graduated from Van Horne. She later attended nurses training at NIACC near Mason City to become an LPN. She was a coronary intensive care nurse at Schoitz Hospital in Waterloo and opened Yore Uniform Store with several of her colleagues. She and one partner formed K Jean's Uniform Store in Cedar Rapids. She went on to buy out her partner and open several locations in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. She married Clarence Gingerich on July 30, 1983. After selling the uniform stores, she went back to nursing at the Kalona nursing home and had several other fun jobs during retirement. She never wanted to be too tied to a job to let it interfere with being "Babi," which is Czech for grandma. She also enjoyed two trips to Europe to visit her niece and family.
Kathy is survived by her two daughters, Karla (Bob) Hoppes of Waterloo and Jessica (Brett) Maurer of Walford; five grandchildren, Jake, Maya and Brady Hoppes and Brodie and Caden Maurer; two sisters, Karen Walton of Farmington and Jan (Dick) Pooley of Cedar Rapids; five nieces and nephews; seven great-nieces and nephews; and stepson, Doyle Gingerich.
Preceding Kathy in death were her parents; husband; nephew, David Walton; and great-niece, Rachael Walton.
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