On Thursday, September 29, 2022, Lela Elaine Kathka, loving wife of 54 years, dedicated mother of three daughters, and doting grandmother of seven grandchildren, passed away at the age of 77. Lela was born in Huron, South Dakota in 1945, to Richard and Mary (Steele) Pease, and there she was raised with her three brothers. Lela attended Southwestern College in Winfield, KS and after two years, transferred to Nebraska Wesleyan, where she received her degree in Elementary Education in 1967. Then, almost 30 years later, she went on to get her Master of Arts Degree in Literacy Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado at Denver.
On December 27, 1967, Lela married her beloved, Timothy Leslie Kathka. Two years later, Lela’s first daughter, Teresa Anne was born; 21 months after that came Christine Elizabeth; and 21 months after that, Laura Paige arrived. She and Tim made their home on Sherman Street in Centennial for 46 years, where Lela tended to her family with great care and commitment. She was a highly respected elementary school teacher with over two decades of experience, including 19 years of teaching at Sedalia Elementary School.
Lela is remembered for her gracious personality, her welcoming smile and sparkling blue eyes. A talented violinist, Lela loved music, books, flower gardens, quilting, baking cookies, cuddling kittens, collecting seashells and celebrating the holidays with her family. She also loved being with her grandchildren! Her faith in God was strong, expressed in her unwavering ability to see the highest good in others, and her quiet but powerful acts of service and love. Lela lived with Parkinson’s Disease for over 30 years and made important contributions as a Parkinson’s research volunteer.
Lela is reunited with her father Richard, mother Mary, mother-in-law Ferne Kathka, father-in-law Arlin Kathka, and older brother, Chuck. She is lovingly remembered by her husband, daughters and their spouses, Jim, Trevor and John; her grandchildren Clayton, Samantha, Ethan, Alex, Saidi, Sawyer and Simon; her brothers Ed and Jim; her brother-in-law David, and sisters-in-law Peg, Janice, LuAnn and Linda; and the many friends and extended family who love her.
A memorial service will be held in her honor on Thursday Oct. 6 at 2pm at the Spiritual Life Center, Good Samaritan Society Village in Loveland. A Celebration of Lela’s Life will also be held in Centennial, Colorado at a time and date TBD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Dementia Together (dementiatogether.org) or Parkinson Association of the Rockies (parkinsonrockies.org).
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