Roeder, Kristina Kye Hee

Kristina Kye Hee Roeder, 29, died unexpectedly this week at her home in northeast Cedar Rapids. She was born in Daegu, South Korea, March 20, 1983.

Kristina and her sister, Jennifer became a part of the family of Randy Roeder and Nancy Kraft on Dec. 30, 1986. Kristina graduated from Linn-Mar High School in 2001 and attended Kirkwood and Coe colleges. After working as a cashier at the Econofoods store on 52nd Street, she took a position in the office of local attorney Charles Litow and eventually moved on to waitressing positions with the Buffalo Wild Wings chain and Cranky Hank's Pizza.

Kristina treasured the time she spent with her friends and family and enjoyed shooting pool, following Cubs and Kernels baseball, playing card games and Scrabble, reading and singing karaoke. A lover of all types of music and a devotee of her mother's cooking, she especially enjoyed dinners with her family and friends and making an annual trip to downstate Illinois for one of the Midwest's premier bluegrass festivals.

Proud of her heritage, Kristina was a regular youth attendee at the Korean Culture KAMP sponsored by Iowans for International Adoption and moved on to assist the organization by serving in intern and camp counselor positions. Kristina was enthusiastic about Asian foods, an early interest that blossomed after a visit to South Korea with a group of adoptive families in 2004.

Survivors include her parents, Randy Roeder and Nancy Kraft; her sister, Jennifer Sook Hee Roeder; her grandparents, Don and Stella Kraft; and a large, loving extended family.

Kristina was preceded in death by her grandparents, Thelma Kraft and Viola and Clarence Roeder.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. A funeral service conducted by Kristina's uncle, the Rev. Keith Kraft, of Mobridge, S.D., will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Interment in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery will follow. Friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon at Cedar Memorial Park Family Center.

Online condolences may be left at under obituaries.

A memorial fund benefiting Holt International Children's Services has been established.

Published in The Gazette Sept. 6, 2012.