Catherine "Kay" (Kidd) Hannum (1921-2011)

HANNUM, KIDD, NELSON, VON BERGEN, SHOEMAN

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/2/2012 at 16:20:49

From Adams & Soderstrum Funeral Home obituary, Story County, Iowa:

Catherine "Kay" Hannum

BORN: September 12, 1921

DIED: November 28, 2011

LOCATION: Ames, Iowa

Catherine (Kay) Hannum died peacefully in her sleep early Monday morning, November 28, 2011 at Northcrest Health Care Center in Ames, Iowa. Memorial services are Saturday, December 3, at Northminster Presbyterian Church.

Kay was born September 12, 1921, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to James E. Kidd and Anna Katherine Nelson Kidd. She was the oldest of three daughters. They moved to Owatonna, Minnesota, when she was 6 months old.

Catherine (Kay) graduated from Owatonna High School and attended Carleton College for one year. She then transferred to Iowa State College and attended two more years. She became a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. However World War II interrupted her studies. She married Thomas Edward Hannum on March 28 1942. Within six weeks of their wedding Tom was sent overseas with the army for 2 1/2 years. She returned to school but policy at that time barred married students from living in university housing. Lonely in off-campus housing, she quit school and worked for several years as an airline hostess for Mid-Continent Airlines.

After Tom returned from the war, he completed his graduate studies and they returned to Ames where Tom took a position as a faculty member in the Department of Psychology.

Kay was a devoted mother. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother, a Campfire Girl leader, and a member of the Parent-Teachers Association. This past September, she had celebrated her 90th birthday.

She was very active in the community. She was a member of the Ames Library Board, an Elder and choir member of the Northminster Presbyterian Church in Ames, a volunteer for Reach to Recovery and served numerous civic organizations (Octagon Board, Questers, PEO President). She also remained very active in the Tri-Delt Sorority, serving as Alumni Advisor and twice as President of the Corporation Board.

After Kay retired from her job as an ISU academic advisor in the office of the Dean of Sciences and Humanities and Tom retired from teaching, they spent time traveling to such places as Greece, Scotland, Italy, Tunisia and around the US. Kay especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her four children, James Hannum and his wife Sandy of Urbana, Illinois; Judy Von Bergen and her husband Mick of Madison, Wisconsin; Janet Shoeman and her husband Gordon of West Des Moines, Iowa; Joan Hannum of Nevada, Iowa; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Tom Hannum, in 2010.

She will be greatly missed.

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