Kathleen Marlow

Monday, July 16, 2018 2:27 pm

Kathleen Marlow, 96, died Thursday, July 12, 2018, at Accura Healthcare in Cresco. Mass of Christian Burial was at 11 a.m. Monday, July 16, at Notre Dame Parish in Cresco, with Father Daniel Knipper officiating. Burial was in Burr Oak Cemetery Burr Oak. Visitation was from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 15, at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco. Rosary was recited at 3:30 p.m.; parish wake service was at 7 p.m. Visitation continued from 10 to 11 a.m. before the service at the church Monday.

Kathleen Elizabeth Marlow was born May 11, 1922, on the farm in rural Decorah, the oldest daughter of Arthur and Katherine (Casey) Sharp. At the age of eight, her family moved to a farm near Bluffton. She attended country school and graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1940.

After graduation she spent a couple years working in Kansas City. When she returned to Iowa she taught country school for many years – grades 1 through 8 in the old one-room schoolhouses of Winneshiek County.

She was united in marriage to Walter Marlow July 16, 1946. She then stayed at home and raised their nine children. She and Walter farmed north of Decorah for several years and moved to a farm west of Burr Oak in 1958. Kathy enjoyed being a mom and homemaker. She loved cooking, baking, gardening, canning and sewing. During this time, in addition to raising their family, Kathy and Walter had the good fortune of many great relationships with friends and neighbors – most notably Dean and Marilynn Leonhart and Leo and Dode McConnell and their families.

In 1969, the family remaining at home moved to Burr Oak. In later years she worked in the housekeeping department at Aase Haugen home where she enjoyed a social life and meeting new people. Kathy was someone who always kept up with the news – local, national and around the world. For several years she volunteered at the voting polls in Burr Oak Township. She retired and moved to Cresco in 1995.

Kathy will be remembered by her friends as a quick-witted person with a great sense of humor; a strong-willed person, small in stature but strong in faith and getting her point across. Her children will say that you never had to wonder where you stood with her because she was not shy about letting you know right up front.

Kathy is survived by eight children: Chuck (Dolores) Marlow, Cresco; Wayne (Karen) Marlow, Cresco; Wanda Stanton, Apple Valley, Minn.; Fred (Patty) Marlow, Decorah; Walt Jr (Faye) Marlow, Decorah; Mary (Scott) Logsdon, Decorah; Jeff (Dawn) Marlow, Decorah and Amy (Brad) McConnell, Cresco; one son-in-law, John Schatz, Cresco; 17 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Nancy (Gene) Sea, North Port, Fla.; and good friends, Naomi Gossman and Shirley Weber, Cresco.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Christopher, in infancy; her husband, Aug. 3, 1977; her grandson, Tyler Marlow, Feb. 25, 2006; her daughter, Dianne Schatz, Dec. 18, 2008; sisters, Ruth (Luther) Thompson and Dorothy (Gene) Huinker; brothers and sisters-in-law: Roger (Elenor) Marlow; Lester (Effie) Marlow; Curtis (Ellie) Marlow; Grace (Don) Hansen.