Mary Kathryn “Kate” Steffen, 93, of Oelwein passed away on Monday June 27, 2016.  Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 am on Friday, July 1, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oelwein.  Visitation will be from 4-7 PM on Thursday June 30, 2016 at the Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice or The Oelwein Community Kitchen Cupboard.

Kate was born on November 21, 1922 at her home in Oelwein, the daughter of Jon S. and Agnes E. (Egan) Aubrey. She grew up in the Oelwein area, graduating from Sacred Heart High School in 1940. On May 19, 1945 she was united in marriage to Clarence Steffen at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oelwein, they had two children, Susan and William.  Kate was the manager of the Sears store in Oelwein.

Kate and Clarence loved to take the kids camping to one of the many lakes in Minnesota. She enjoyed embroidering, quilting, baking, bowling and helping her sister Lucille have breakfast in the park with enough food to feed the town. In her later years she enjoyed her grandchildren, her great grandchildren and her buddy Fritz (her dog).

Kate is survived by her children: Susan (Tony) Dehl of Waterloo and William (Mary Ann) Steffen of Storm Lake; her three grandchildren: Cody and Brad Homewood and Peter DePuma; her six great grandchildren: Brandon, Harper and Holland Homewood and Emily, Grace and Ellie DePuma; her sister Margaret “Peggy” Sproull of Winthrop; her brothers: John “Gus” (Joan) Aubrey of Oelwein and Robert Aubrey of Clinton. She was preceded in death by her husband Clarence (1996); her parents; her sisters Lorraine Short and Lucille Wardell; and her brother William Aubrey.