Kathryn J. Vargason, 84, of Oelwein passed away on Friday, August 17, 2018 at Maple Crest Memory Care in Fayette. Visitation will be Tuesday, August 21, 2018 from 4 to 7 pm and one hour before services on Wednesday at the Geilenfeld Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 10:30 am at the funeral home with Rev. James Bauer officiating. Interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Oelwein. A memorial fund has been established.

Kathryn J. Vargason was born August 3, 1934 in St, Lucas, Iowa, the daughter of Carl and Frances (Riecks) Kuennen. Her family later moved to Oelwein where in 1952 she graduated from Sacred Heart High School. On February 14, 1955 she was united in marriage to Lavern “Varge” Vargason. Varge worked for the city of Oelwein and Kathryn was a seamstress for City Laundry. In her spare time she enjoyed woodworking, sewing, upholstery, working at the Gone Country Barn with her daughter Becky, cards, bean bags, going out for ice cream, volunteering to read for young school children and of course her cats, Ace and Alex. Kathryn touched a lot of lives and will dearly be missed.

She is survived by her four daughters, Linda (Buzzy) Rechkemmer of Oelwein, Lori (Jeff) Heying of Cedar Rapids, Becky (Mike) Block of Calamas and Dawn (Rob) Reiter of Oelwein; five grandchildren, Jenny (Greg) Hunter, Chad (Sarah) Rechkemmer, Susie (Josh) Hamdorf, Chris Clime and Katie Clime (Matt Calef); nine great grandchildren, Nick, Andy, Maddie, Ava, Rayne, Isaac, Hannah, Livian and Carter; three sisters, Alice Roete of Oelwein, Alvera (Bill) Hogan of Cedar Rapids and Aggie Vargason of Oklahoma; two brothers, Urban (Floraine) Kuennen and Luke (Margie) Kuennen all of Oelwein. Kathryn was preceded in death by her husband Lavern (2/15/2003); granddaughter, Janet Rechkemmer; three brothers, Herbert Kuennen, Rene Kuennen and Adolph Kuennen.