Kathryn Sturtewagen

Kathryn “Kathy” Sturtewagen, 73, a resident of Manchester, Missouri, formerly of Annawan, passed away peacefully at Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur, MO, surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, June 21, 2017. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial for Kathy will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 26, 2017, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Annawan, with the Reverend Andrew Sax as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Anthony Cemetery in Atkinson. Family and friends of Kathy may call from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 25th, at  Vandemore Funeral Home & Crematory in Atkinson. A Rosary will be recited at 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Prince of Peace Church, (415 Weidman Rd. Manchester, MO 63011), or  St. Anthony Parish-Cemetery, or the American Heart Fund.

Kathy was born on May 12, 1944, the daughter of Arthur G. and Miriam I. (VanCauwenberge) Walgrave, in Kewanee, IL. She attended high school at Our Lady of Angels Academy in Clinton, IA and graduated from Marycrest College in Davenport, IA in May of 1966 with a Bachelors Degree in business education. Kathy married Eugene “Gene” Sturtewagen on July 9, 1966, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Annawan. She taught at Assumption High School for two years and was named “Teacher of the Year” in 1968. She moved with her husband to the St. Louis area and taught at Wentzville and Parkway West High Schools. Kathy moved to Oklahoma City and received a Masters in Business Education from Central Oklahoma State University. Several moves later, to Arizona, Davenport, and St. Louis, MO she planted roots permanently. She was an active member of Christ Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Kathy and her husband, Gene, traveled extensively to Europe, Mexico, Canada, and all across the U.S.A. Their favorite place was Rome, Italy. Her family brought the greatest joy to her life, even more than an immaculate house and lawn.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband of 51 years, Gene; her daughter, Michelle “Shelly” Sturtewagen, and her precious granddaughter Sophia “Sophie” Sturtewagen; sister, Rose Sax of Laramie, WY; her 18 nieces and nephews and their families; sisters-in-law, Ann Sturtewagen, Alice (Ray) Morman, and Alma (Jerry) Loncka; and brother-in-law, Vernon (Linda) Sturtewagen.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Miriam; her mother and father-in-law, Perdon and Elizabeth Sturtewagen; brother and sister-in-law, John and Sandy Walgrave; brother, Richard Walgrave, brothers-in-law, Francis Sturtewagen, and Don Sturtewagen; nephew, Kevin Morman and niece, Theresa Sax.

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