Kathryn M. Rockwell

Kathryn Marie Rockwell, 76, passed away on July 20, 2013 at her home in Sioux City, IA. Services will be 2:00 P.M. Thursday, July 25, 2013 at Becker-Hunt Funeral Home with the Rev. Mark Eldal officiating. Burial will be in Omaha Valley Cemetery at Homer, Nebraska. Visitation will be from 4 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home. Kathryn was born on November 7, 1936 in Tama County, IA the youngest child of Harry and Lena (Peters) Stammer. Kathryn spent her first seven years in Gladbrook, IA before her family moved to Wayne, Ne. She grew up there and graduated from Wayne High School in 1955. She maintained strong lifelong friendships with many of her classmates. Kathryn married Paul Rockwell in 1956. They were married for fifty-three years until his death in 2009. Kathryn’s life work and pride were her five children: John, Damon, Sylvia, Warren and Janeanne. Kathryn had a lively personality and had an incredible laugh. With a certain subgroup of her friends and family, she loved to share dirty jokes. She was very caring and remarkably resilient. Kathryn was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion, where her cinnamon rolls were renowned. She was a board member for the Dakota County Historical Society for many years, and she volunteered at its O’Connor House. She enjoyed collecting cookbooks, baking, experiencing new foods, socializing and shopping. She was a troop leader for Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts as her children were growing. She was a fine seamstress, having created many western-style shirts for her husband and sons, special occasion dresses for her daughters and yearly outfits for all of her grandchildren. She liked traveling, and in addition to spending lengths of time in her kids’ homes and communities, she visited the Bahamas, Austria and Czech Republic, and Southern California. Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brothers Henry, Harold and Wayne Stammer. Kathryn is survived by her children and their spouses: John and Barbie Rockwell of Amarillo, TX; Damon and Renee Rockwell of Des Moines, IA; Sylvia and Ken Patterson of Fort Collins, CO; Warren and Kelly Rockwell of Valentine, NE; and Janeanne Rockwell-Kincanon and Kerry Kincanon of Monmouth, OR. Also surviving are her two sisters, Helen Archer of Whittier, CA and Ruth Thompson of Denver, CO; sisters-in-law Ruth Rockwell of Arlington, VA and Lois (Gordon) Biles of Long Beach, CA; six grandchildren; Allison Rockwell, Jenn Rockwell, Tanner Rockwell, Kate Patterson, Shelby Rockwell and John Patterson; two great-grandchildren: Raken Tinant and Takorah Tinant; and numerous nieces and nephews.