BOW VALLEY — Maureen M. Kathol, 89, Bow Valley, Nebraska, died March 11, 2024 at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton, S.D. Mass of Christian burial was March 16 at Holy Family (Sts. Peter & Paul) Catholic Church, Bow Valley, with Rev Keiter officiating. Burial was in the Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Bow Valley. Pallbearers were her grandchildren, Todd Kathol, Jake Mackey, Matthew Hodges, Kurtis Kathol, Mark Kathol and Tomas Kathol. Honorary Pallbearers were the rest of her grandchildren, Audrey Klingele, Karen Carl, Renee Carl, Wendy Mackey, Alex Hodges, Jennifer Kathol, Spencer Carl, and Brad Kathol. Visitation and a vigil service were March 15 at the church. Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington.

Maureen M. Kathol was born in Bow Valle, Jan. 31, 1935, to Paul Hubert and Frances Mary (Thoene) Sudbeck. She attended grade school at a country school and graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1953. She married Art Kathol, Oct. 26, 1954, in Bow Valley, and did bookwork in the appliance store, while partnered with Art’s dad, John H. Kathol, and continued her bookkeeping duties until she recently retired. They built their house in 1963 and in June 1968 the business became Art Kathol Appliance. They built the new store in 1976 and operated the appliance store until retiring in 1992, when their son, Don, took over as the manager. They built their retirement home west of the church and continued to help Don until December 2018.

Maureen and Art had ten children but suffered the loss of five of them at young ages. Maureen was an active member of the Holy Family (Sts. Peter & Paul) Catholic Church and was a member and past president of the Christian Mothers. She was very active doing volunteer work for her community and church. She cleaned the church basement after nearly every event for many years.

Maureen and Art did a significant amount of work to maintain the cemetery in Bow Valley. Their work included mowing, weed control, and repair of broken and fallen monuments. Maureen also worked with the Cemetery Committee to sketch a map of the plots and note who was buried there. During the painting of the church interior in 1997,Art and Maureen offered the garage attached to their house to store the many statues and Stations of the Cross from the church. Maureen carefully cleaned each one.

When she was not helping at church, she enjoyed gardening, canning, and sewing nearly all of the clothes for herself and her children. Maureen trusted in the power of angels as well as the power of prayer, which she did all the time. She designed and drew architectural house plans for people for decades with no formal training.

Maureen is survived by five children, Linda (David) Carl, Shawnee, Kan.; Lori (Charles) Mackey, Yankton, S.D.; Paula (Michael) Hodges, Lincoln; Donavin (Joyce) Kathol, Bow Valley; Julie (Scott) Childers, Lincoln; 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; siblings, Norman (Delores) Sudbeck, Hartington, and Jean Stratman, St. Helena; and sister-in-law, Jolene Sudbeck, Hartington.

Maureen is preceded in death by her parents,Paul and Frances Sudbeck; husband, Art Kathol; five children, Mary, Karl, Dale, Dean and John;brother, Allen Sudbeck; and sister, Mildred Bracht.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Sts.Peter & Paul Church.