Kathleen A. Thola's Obituary
Kathleen Alma Thola, 86, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 22, 2022 passing away peacefully at her home.
Funeral Services will be 10:30 am, Thursday, July 28, 2022 at Zion Lutheran Church in Clinton. Burial will be in the Clinton Lawn Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be her grandsons and grandsons-in-law. Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes and Crematory.
Kathleen was born to Clarence and Kathryn (Herzog) Schmidt on her grandparent’s farm home in Melbourne, IA on April 16, 1936. She attended schools in St. Anthony and Montour, IA graduating in 1953. She went on to college at William Penn in Oskaloosa, IA 1955-1956 and then again in 1983-1984, where she received her BA with honors in education. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Montour, IA, Irving School, North Catholic and Prince of Peace in Clinton, IA. She was recognized in Who’s Who (1992-1993) for American Educator.
On December 20, 1956, she married Leonard B. Larson at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dillon, IA. Leonard died June 8, 1976. She then married Lloyd Thola on August 8, 1987 in Bellevue, IA. He died February 13, 2016.
Kathleen was a very active member at Zion Lutheran Church in Clinton, Iowa where she helped with the altar guild, communion, nursery coordination, funeral lunches, prayer chain and greeters. She also was a member of the Clinton Women’s Club. Her favorite thing in the world was attending all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren events. She made every effort to be the first one at these events rain or shine. She was even recognized as the Super Steamer Fan for her loyalty to the Fulton Steamers. She always thought about people when they were sick or in the hospital. She would express her comfort by sending a card and was always praying for everyone. She was a very loving person and will be dearly missed.
Those left to honor her memory are her two daughters: Lesli (Larson) Yahn (John), and Andrea (Larson) Barnett (Chris); son-in-law Mark Regenwether and step-children: Lloyd Jr., Robert, Lorin, JoAnn, Shari, Donna, Dwain, Delbert, and Karen; grandchildren: Joseph (Abby) Regenwether, Jacie (Adam) Wherry, Elise (Karl) Greve, Kara (Tyler) Mulder, Jacob (Shanelle) Yahn, Larson and Connor Barnett; step grandchildren: Katie (Adam) Hoagland, Alyssa (Joe) Fisher, and Brianna (Doug) Chidester; great-grandchildren: Urijah and Milo Regenwether, Carson, Emery and Regen Wherry, Ryan, Henry and Nile Greve, Vinny and Ivy Mulder, and JJ and Ellie Yahn; step great-grandchildren: Colton Hoagland and Kennedy Fisher; one sister, Judith (David) Peters, Ellisville, Missouri and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Richard “Bruce” Schmidt, her two husbands, her daughter Vicki Lynne Regenwether and one step-daughter Mary Jo Thola.
Memorials may be made to the Zion Lutheran Church in Clinton.
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