Gutz, Kathryn Joan Falb

Kathryn Joan Falb Gutz died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy from complications of pancreatic cancer. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Kathryn's life at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids. A private inurnment will take place at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Gundrum Parlor at Christ Episcopal Church.

Survivors include her husband, John E. Gutz; daughters, Julia Honorine Gutz (Mark) Moller of Minnetonka, Minn. and Jennifer Kathryn (Paul) Benson of Maple Grove, Minn.; grandchildren, John David and Grace Kathryn Benson and Anna Kathryn Joelle Moller; two brothers, John O. (Sally) Falb of West Union and Mark C. (Cheryl) Falb of Dubuque; and four sisters-in-law Janet, Way of Evergreen, Colo., Rayne Ragan of Paradise Valley, Ariz., Lois (Eugene) Coon of Iowa City and Mary McConkie Falb (Jim) Brinda of Scottsdale, Ariz.

She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Born in Postville, Iowa, to Honorine and John Falb Jr., Kathryn “Muffy” spent many hours riding horses with friends and summers sailing on Clear Lake. Following high school, Kathryn attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. degree in education: home economics, English and French. Her first job was with The Maytag Company as a staff home economist. She later returned to the University of Iowa as a teaching assistant and received her M.A. degree in television and textiles.

Kathryn married John E. Gutz in 1962 and they moved to Cedar Rapids. She taught at College Community Schools for five years before retiring to raise a family. Kathryn had a wide-range of interests and was active in the community: Christ Episcopal Church, Delta Gamma Sorority, Indian Creek Questers, Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Monday League, Marvin Cone Art Club and Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (docent). She was an avid reader, enjoyed playing tennis and duplicate bridge and held tickets to the Cedar Rapids Symphony for over 50 years.

She served on the boards of the Children's Theater and Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Grant Wood AEA school board and the Cornell College alumni board. After raising her children, Kathryn returned to work at Cornell College in Enrollment Services for 16 years. At the time of her retirement, Kathryn was associate dean of admissions at Cornell. She had a passion for the college and its unique One-Course-at a-Time approach, recruiting students from Colorado and across the country to the campus she loved so much. Over the years she touched the lives and shaped the futures of countless students.

Kathryn's friends, family and home were foremost in her life. The love and support from friends and family were heartwarming during the final stages of her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be made to: Cedar Rapids Museum of Art; Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa (Kappa Theta Scholarship Fund); The Holden Cancer Research Center at the University of Iowa; Mercy Hospital Hall Perrine Cancer Center; Christ Episcopal Church; or Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra.

Condolences may be mailed to The Gutz Family at 1325 Norwood Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403.

The family wishes to express its thanks and deep gratitude to the caregivers who helped Kathryn in her illness including the staff at The Holden Cancer Research Center at the University of Iowa, Mercy Hospital Hall Perrine Cancer Center and the Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy.

Published in The Gazette Oct. 29, 2013.