KILPATRICK, Lilahann D. (Opheim) 1924-2015

KILPATRICK, OPHEIM, SCHULTE, SIMONSON, BYRNES

Posted By: Aubrie Monroe (email)
Date: 3/10/2019 at 18:00:18

Lilahann D. Kilpatrick, 91, of Waukon died Sunday, September 27, 2015 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Thursday, October 1 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Daniel Knipper officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may call from 10 a.m. until the time of services Thursday at the church. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed towards Alzheimer’s research, education or a charity of choice.

Lilahann Dorothy Kilpatrick was born June 22, 1924 to Nels and Myrtle (Tangen) Opheim near Waukon.

Lilahann attended rural schools through the eighth grade. In order to attend high school, she began living in a rented room in Waukon weekdays when she was only 14 years old. During high school, Lilahann took the courses required to get a teaching certificate.

Soon after graduation, Lilahann began her teaching career at Waterloo Ridge, a one-room school house, where some of her students were a year or two older than she. Because there was tire and gas rationing at that time, she often got to school by hitchhiking or riding a bike.

August 23, 1943, Lilahann married Charles “Charlie” Kilpatrick. After staying at home while her three oldest children were young, Lilahann went back to teaching country schools, then at St. Patrick’s Elementary School for eight years. At the same time, she attended Upper Iowa University in Fayette, receiving her diploma in 1967 after 17 years of evening and summer classes. It was the proudest moment of her life.

For the next 20 years, Lilahann taught at Postville Elementary, continuing to take classes as her teaching career demanded.

After they retired, Lilahann and Charlie traveled around the country and spent winters in Claremont, FL near the homes of their two sons.

After Charlie died August 9, 1991, Lilahann continued to travel in the U.S. and to several other countries. She volunteered with many local organizations, sang in the St. Patrick’s church choir, and enjoyed coffee and crossword puzzles with friends.

In 2009, aware that she was having memory problems, Lilahann informed her family she was moving to the Good Samaritan assisted living facility in Waukon. As usual, she was in charge of her life and a role model to her children.

Lilahann is survived by her four children: Diane (Robert) Schulte of Waterford, WI, Clark (LuAnn Arney) of Dorchester, Keith of Daytona Beach, FL and Christine (Lynn) Simonson of Wabasha, MN; her sister-in-law and life-long friend, Bernice Byrnes of Waukon; five grandchildren: Kim, Shelly, Rob, Dean and Sean; as well as many great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie; her parents; and a brother.