Katherine Susan Cane

Katherine (“Katie”) Susan Cane, was born on February 28, 1986, in Arlington Heights, Illinois and died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on March 1, 2024, just two days after her 38th birthday, following a yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer. She spent the majority of her childhood living in Clifton, New Jersey with her parents Patricia and John DiGiovanna, and her brothers, Joseph and Jason.

She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Jessie and Richard Schauwecker, paternal grandfather Jack DiGiovanna, uncle Thomas (“Tommy”) Schauwecker, and cousin, Kevin Seidl.

She is survived by her beloved daughter Madelynn Rose, parents Patti and John, brother and sister-in-law Joe and Christie Haro, brother Jason DiGiovanna, grandmother Connie, aunts and uncles Stacey and Tom Seidl, Susan and Steve Aschom, Colleen DiGiovanna, Kenneth DiGiovanna, and Jerome DiGiovanna, and her cousins Nicholas Seidl, Alex Schauwecker, and Jessica and Laura DiGiovanna.

As a child, Katie’s favorite hobbies included competitive cheerleading and dance, summer road trips to Florida and Illinois to visit family, swimming at the beach, and hanging out with her friends. When it came to her education, she recently mentioned that she felt like she really only attended school so she “wear cute clothes, socialize, and be cool.” Her lifelong love for dogs and other animals inspired her as a young girl to dream of one day becoming a veterinarian. However, she said if she had the chance to go back and do it all over again, that she would have been a lawyer because “she could argue like nobody else could argue.” Katie was never afraid to speak her mind or to stick up for herself and those she loved most. She would rarely back down from a fight, especially over something or someone she felt truly passionate about. She loved the beach and would often speak of fond memories of her time spent at the Jersey Shore. Even toward the end of her life, all she wished for was to lie in the sun and catch a glimpse of the ocean (and maybe a dolphin or two) one last time. She was a Jersey girl through and through, and she loved to wear her hair high, her sunglasses big, and her skin bronzed.

She had an incredible sense of humor and wanted to make sure everyone knew that out of each of her siblings, (especially her older brother Joe) that she was the funny one. She could always find humor in any situation or circumstance, even during the most difficult moments throughout the last year she was still able to find laughter in spite of the pain she endured each day.

She was given the gift of life, and even as short and trying as that life may have been, it was a life that in return, was a gift to so many who were blessed to know her and love her. If you were fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of her love, then you would agree that you are a better person now because of it. Katie was given a special kind of strength unlike any other. Her spirit was fierce and the fire she held within her, gave her the grit and determination to fight many battles throughout her journey here on earth. Her courage and resilience was remarkable to witness, down to her very last breaths.

In the spring of 2019, a couple months shy of her daughter’s expected arrival, Katie relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada to be closer to family. It is without a doubt, that the birth of her daughter changed the course of Katie’s life in the best way possible. Madelynn Rose Cane is and will forever be Katie’s greatest accomplishment and the ultimate success of her life’s story. As difficult as it was for Katie to have to say goodbye to her daughter so soon, she believed that Maddie was a miracle that saved her life in a profound way and gave her the opportunity to experience the joy of motherhood and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child. Katie’s family will be forever grateful that her spirit, unwavering strength, and yes, even her sassy personality will continue to live on through her daughter, to serve as a continuous reminder of her mother’s legacy.

Katie left this Earth in the same way that she lived, fighting fiercely and as tough as a warrior. She meant so much to so many and her presence will be greatly missed. Even though her journey here with us is now complete, we can find comfort knowing that she is finally without pain and suffering, living peacefully with God, and serving her ultimate purpose as a fierce protector from above. Until we meet again, sweet Katie.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmnorthwest.com for the Cane family.