Funeral Mass for Kathy Gansen

Kathleen (Kathy) M. Gansen, 67, of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, formerly from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away peacefully at Ascension Saint Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates with her daughters by her side, on April 16, 2025. Morizzo Funeral Home in Hoffman Estates, and Papich-Kuba Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids are assisting with arrangements.

Friends and family may visit on Sunday, May 4th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home, 1228 2nd Street SE, Cedar Rapids, with prayers and memories shared at 2:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Monday, May 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., with visitation one hour prior. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. 

Kathy was born in Cedar Rapids, on May 20, 1957, to parents Donald and Helen (Durek) Quass. She was one of five children. Kathy had fond memories of family vacations growing up. She especially loved traveling in the family station wagon and the fold-down camper to lakes and National Parks. 

Kathy graduated from Lasalle High School in 1975. Beginning as a teenager, she worked for several years as a manager at Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream, Cedar Rapids. After high school, Kathy obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant, and Oral Medication Technician certifications. She worked as a scheduler and medical records coordinator while taking administrative classes. 

After completing her administrative certificate, Kathy was promoted to the position of Assistant Administrator at Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cedar Rapids. Anyone who knew Kathy while she worked at Heritage knows she went above and beyond, and cared deeply for the residents and staff. She was very proud to work at Heritage for 34 years.                   

In 1988, she married David Gansen at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids. Soon after buying their first home in Palo, Iowa, they were blessed with two wonderful daughters, Heidi and Jessica. She was endlessly proud of her daughters; they were the light of her life. Her love for them was fierce, unconditional, and unwavering - a love that shaped who they are and continues to live on through them.                                       

Family meant the world to Kathy. She loved spending time with her extended family, and she was a devoted daughter. Whether it was playing Rummikub, celebrating holidays with extended family, or enjoying the fireworks on the 4th of July in Cedar Rapids, her favorite times were those spent with family. She loved cracking jokes, telling stories, shopping (especially on Black Friday), and planning elaborate and fun parties.        

In 2018, Kathy and Dave moved to Illinois with Heidi and Jessi and their spouses so they could live near one another. She was grateful to live with Jessi and her family for so many years, and she was able to remain at home thanks to the devotion and care that Jessi provided. In 2020, Kathy was overjoyed to become a grandmother, “Babi”. She loved her four grandchildren dearly, and she was looking forward to adding another grandbaby to the cousin crew in May.

Kathy is survived by her daughters Heidi (Becky Hinsley) Gansen, Jessica (Michael) Widener; grandchildren Bennett, Maddox, Rose, and Monroe; siblings Ron Quass, Livermore, CO, Jon (Mary) Quass, Mount Vernon, IA, Kevin (Connie) Quass, Burnsville, MN, Diane (Mike) McCoy, Red Feather Lakes, CO; her close cousin, Karen (Jay) Withey-Smith, Red Feathers Lake, CO, and several beloved in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Helen, and her husband, David.

Kathy’s family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff at Ascension Saint Alexius Hospital, especially the ICU staff;  Dr. John Liu and his staff; and the staff at Centerwell Home Health for the exceptional and compassionate care that they provided.

Kathy was a very special person who was loved dearly by all who knew her. She was a friend and second Mom to many. She had an amazing sense of humor – when you were with her, you were sure to be laughing. She made a difference in the lives of all she touched, and she was a shining example of kindness and generosity. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.