Kathryn Vargason

KATHRYN J. VARGASON

Oelwein

Kathryn J. Vargason, 84, of Oelwein, passed away Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, at Maple Crest Memory Care in Fayette. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, and one hour before services Wednesday at Geilenfeld Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, at the funeral home with the Rev. James Bauer officiating. Interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery

in Oelwein. A memorial fund has been established. For condolences, please visit www.geilenfeldfh.com.

Kathryn J. Vargason was born Aug. 3, 1934, in St. Lucas, Iowa, the daughter of Carl and Frances (Riecks) Kuennen. Her family later moved to Oelwein, where in 1952, she graduated from Sacred Heart High School. On Feb. 14, 1955, she was united in marriage to Lavern "Varge" Vargason. Varge worked for the city of Oelwein and Kathryn was a seamstress for City Laundry. In her spare time, she enjoyed woodworking, sewing, upholstery, working at the Gone Country Barn with her daughter, Becky, cards, bean bags, going out for ice cream, volunteering to read for young school children and of course, her cats, Ace and Alex. Kathryn touched a lot of lives and will dearly be missed.

She is survived by her four daughters, Linda (Buzzy) Rechkemmer of Oelwein, Lori (Jeff) Heying of Cedar Rapids, Becky (Mike) Block of Calamas and Dawn (Rob) Reiter of Oelwein; five grandchildren, Jenny (Greg) Hunter, Chad (Sarah) Rechkemmer, Susie (Josh) Hamdorf, Chris Clime and Katie Clime (Matt Calef); nine great-grandchildren, Nick, Andy, Maddie, Ava, Rayne, Isaac, Hannah, Livian and Carter; three sisters, Alice Roete of Oelwein, Alvera (Bill) Hogan of Cedar Rapids and Aggie Vargason of Oklahoma; and two brothers, Urban (Floraine) Kuennen and Luke (Margie) Kuennen, all of Oelwein.

Kathryn was preceded in death by her husband, Lavern, on Feb. 15, 2003; granddaughter, Janet Rechkemmer; and three brothers, Herbert Kuennen, Rene Kuennen and Adolph Kuennen.