Kathleen Pattee

 Kathleen Mary (Dea) Pattee, age 78, of Avoca, Iowa, passed away peacefully at her home on February 26, 2025 surrounded by her loving family. She was born January 19, 1947 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Richard William (Dick) and Esther Margaret (Paul) Dea.

 Kathleen's education began at Newtown Country School (Kindergarten-4th grade), continued at Hancock Community School (5th-7th grade), and concluded at AvoHa Community School, where she graduated in 1965. During her school years, she was active in girls' basketball, played bass clarinet in the band, and proudly belonged to the 4-H Botna Valley Bluebells club. Kathleen lettered in both band and basketball and was a four-year scholar award winner.

 Following graduation, Kathleen pursued her passion for nursing at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Council Bluffs and graduated from St. Catherine’s School of Nursing of the Archbishop Bergan Mercy Hospital on September 8, 1968. She became a certified Registered Nurse in October of the same year.

 On November 23, 1968, Kathleen married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Michael Pattee, at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Avoca. Their early married life took them to Yankton, SD, Atlantic, Lamoni, and Ankeny before they settled in their forever home they built on a farm northwest of Avoca in 1982, where they raised their children, William (Bill), Michael (Mike), and Jana.

 Kathleen dedicated her professional life to caring for others. Her nursing career included work in clinics and hospitals, but she found particular fulfillment in her 20 years at REM Leadway in Shelby, IA, working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and later as a hospice nurse at Myrtue Medical Center.

 After retiring, Kathleen was able to spend more time doing the things she loved, including attending her grandchildren’s activities, enjoying musicals at the Orpheum Theatre, quilting, gardening, and traveling to National Parks, Colorado, and South Dakota. Kathleen was extremely proud of her Irish roots visiting Ireland five times to attend the O’Dea International Clan Gathering and to Niagara Falls and St. Louis for the USA Clan Reunion and the Australian. Her other travels took her to Germany, Alaska, New Zealand and Scotland. 

 Kathleen was a proud member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Avoca, the Knox Project Club, AHSTW TeamMates Mentoring program and P.E.O. Chapter GC, but nothing gave her more pride than the family that she and Tom built together.

 Kathleen will be remembered for her kindness, patience, generosity, and empathy. Her children and grandchildren will fondly recall sleepovers, family vacations, picnics, Disney movie and popcorn nights, and her delicious homemade caramels, bread, pies, pumpkin bars, chocolate chip cookies and cheesecakes.

 Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Esther Dea, and her sister, Donna Dea. She is survived by her devoted husband of 56 years, Tom Pattee; her beloved children, William (Amy) Pattee (Avoca, IA), Mike (Jenny) Pattee (Hubbard, NE), and Jana (Jeff) Schmitz (Harlan,IA); her grandchildren, Nathan (Rebecca) Pattee (Lumberton, TX), Ryan Pattee (Minneapolis, MN), Evan Pattee (Waterloo, IA), Jake (Samantha) Wostoupal (Omaha, NE), Ben (Michelle) Wostoupal (Lafayette, CO), Abby (Tanner) Judd (Omaha, NE), Will Pattee (Hubbard, NE), Tommy Pattee (Hubbard, NE), Katy Schmitz (Harlan,IA), Ethan Schmitz (Harlan,IA), and Clara Schmitz (Harlan,IA); her great-grandchildren, Amelia and Liam Pattee (Lumberton, TX), Beau and Anna Wostoupal (Omaha, NE), Joelle Judd (Omaha, NE), and Emma Wostoupal (Lafayette, CO); her brother, William (Sondra) Dea; her brothers and sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

 In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society and Myrtue Medical Center Hospice + Home Health.