Mrs. JOHN (Kathleen L. Vaske) BANWARTH 1945-2003

STRONCK, VASKE, BANWARTH, RECKER, RAUEN, SIGWARTH

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 2/12/2004 at 20:31:01

Kathleen L. Banwarth

Telegraph Herald - Dec 7, 2003

Kathleen L. "Kay" Banwarth, 58, of 22140 Mud Lake Road, died at 4:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at home, surrounded by her family, following a brief illness.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Ghost Catholic Church. Following cremation, burial of the cremated remains will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. Monday at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., where there will be a parish wake service at 3:30 p.m.

Mrs. Banwarth taught in several Catholic schools from 1968 to 1972, and at Marshall School in Dubuque from 1972 to the present. She taught grades from Headstart through sixth grade during her teaching career. She treasured her friendships formed with the Presentation Sisters.

She was born on March 4, 1945, in Farley, Iowa, daughter of Joseph O. and Louise D. (Stronck) Vaske. She married John G. "Jack" Banwarth on June 7, 1975, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Farley.

She attended St. Joseph's Grade and High School in Farley. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Clarke College in 1968.

She was a member of the Marshall School Parent Teacher Association and the Dubuque Education Association, as well as various other state and national education associations.

Among her many extracurricular activities, she was a safety patrol facilitator, after school tutor, data coach, instructional mentor, site council member, language arts trainer, cooperating teacher for 12 student teachers and a working member of many school and district committees and action teams. Kay was most pleased to be nominated the Marshall School Teacher of the Year in 1990 by her peers at Marshall School. She also was listed in the "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" in 2002.

She was an active member of Holy Ghost Parish, serving as a lector and Eucharistic Minister.

Throughout Kay's life, she strived to inspire young minds, open eyes and souls to the beauty surrounding them, fill hearts with love for one another and appreciate life's simple pleasures. It was her hope that others would carry this on resulting in a better world.

Surviving are her husband, John G. "Jack" Banwarth; a daughter, Abby L. (fiance, Andrew Smith) Banwarth, of Dubuque; two sons, Brad D. Banwarth and Adam J. Banwarth, both attending Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; her mother, Louise Vaske, of Farley; three sisters, JoAnn (Dennis) Recker, of Dyersville, Iowa, Mary (Rick) Rauen, of Farley, and Linda (Bob) Sigwarth, of Dubuque; two brothers, Joseph (Diane) Vaske, of Freeport, Ill., and James (Karin) Vaske, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn.; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph Vaske, on June 20, 1986.

In lieu of flowers, a Kathleen L. Banwarth Memorial Fund has been established.

The family wishes to thank Hospice of Dubuque, especially Dorothy, Margreet and Sue for their compassionate care.