Mrs. DAVID W. (Kathleen A. Ryan) SPAHN

STRAIN, RYAN, SPAHN, JACKSON, CLEARY, LECONTE

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 5/31/2003 at 09:32:24

Kathleen A. Spahn

Telegraph Herald - Sunday, May 4, 2003

Mrs. David W. (Kathleen A.) Spahn, 54, of 15934 Clover Lane, died Friday, May 2, 2003, at home, surrounded by her family, following a long and inspiring battle with multiple myeloma (cancer).

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Resurrection Catholic Church. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today at the church, where there will be a wake service at 4:30 p.m. The Hoffmann-Schneider Funeral Home, 1640 Main St., is in charge of arrangements.

She was born on March 18, 1949, in Dubuque, daughter of James R. and Ora Mae (Strain) Ryan. She married David W. Spahn on May 23, 1970, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Dubuque.

She graduated from Wahlert High School in 1967. Through most of high school, Kathy was a nurse's aide at Mercy Hospital.

In 1967, she went to work for Mike Slade at Slade Optical and began what would prove to be a long employment relationship and enduring friendship. From 1967 to 1971, and again from 1978 to 1997, she worked for Slade Optical, taking time off to do what she considered most important, raising her children.

From 1971 to 1978, Kathy and David lived in Chicago, and Toledo, Ohio, where she did bookkeeping for a number of firms.

She, her husband and Larry and Cindy Richey began the buyout of Dubuque Stamping and Mfg., Inc., in 1995. In 2000, the buyout was completed, and she currently held the position of co-chief executive officer. She also was a partner in C & K Realty.

She was always happiest taking care of her family and also enjoyed hosting holidays and other special occasions for her extended family. She dearly loved children and volunteered for many years at Resurrection School. Her favorite hobby was gourmet cooking. She was a member of Resurrection Catholic Church for 25 years.

Surviving are her husband, David; her son, Matt, and daughter, Sarah, both at home. She also is survived by her father, James R. Ryan, and stepmother, Lois Leach; a sister, Julie (Ryan) Jackson, of Dubuque; brothers, Nick and John Ryan, of East Dubuque, Ill.; her father and mother-in-law, Ervin and Denise Spahn; sisters-in-law, Dianne (Mike) Cleary, of Naperville, Ill., and Janet (Bob) LeConte, of Austin, Texas; brothers-in-law, Dan (Debby) Spahn, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Jim (Bev) Spahn, of Birmingham, Ala.; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Ora Mae Ryan.

The family requests no flowers. A Kathleen A. Spahn Memorial Fund has been established.

Kathy said we should definitely recognize the loving care of her family and friends and particularly the many hours of personal care provided by her husband and mother-in-law. She also wanted to thank Dr. Kukla and his staff, Hospice of Dubuque, Finley Home Health Care and the nurses in the cancer ward at The Finley Hospital for their excellent care.