Last Updated on October 21, 2021 by Fisher Funeral Chapel
Kathryn S. “Kathy” Yoder, 74, Logansport, slipped away peacefully in her sleep, October 18, 2021, at home, after receiving the diagnosis of a rare form of breast cancer just fourteen days earlier.
Born on January 11, 1947, in Kansas City, Missouri, Kathy was 99.9% Norwegian. Her birth parents, the late Anita Ueland and Calvin Pond, baptized her as “Catherine Ueland” in the Lutheran Church. Six weeks later, she was adopted by her parents, Ernie and Kathryn (Merriman) Yoder and baptized as “Kathryn Yoder” in the Calvary Presbyterian Church – a church her heart always called home.. Her parents owned the former Pleasant Hill Greenhouse – a happy place to grow up surrounded by flowers every day.
A 1965 graduate of Logansport High School, Kathy attended Ball State University for one year. She followed her dream of becoming a hair stylist and graduated from Wright’s Beauty College. For 35+ years, Kathy’s mission in life was loving her clients like family and she absolutely adored it. For many years, she owned and operated Sunshine Anytime at the Eastgate Plaza. Most recently, she was the “salon mother” of the “Hair to Dye For” shop on High Street. Her daughters shared her as “everyone’s mother”. She actually coined her own title “mother of misfits” loving those who needed unconditional love – whether they knew it or not.
Always a team player, her former husband’s jobs led Kathy to live in several parts of the United States including New Mexico, Colorado, Mississippi, Chicago, the island of Bonaire off the Coast of Venezuela and Panama City Beach, Florida…but she always found her way home to Logansport. She thrived being around people and never knew a stranger. Combine that with a strong work ethic and she found herself working in people-oriented careers in addition to her hair stylist career: flying three years for Transworld as an airline hostess out of Chicago O’Hare, working in retail sales and management as well as a ten-year fun career as a member of the WSAL advertising sales team.
Kathy was a Tri Kappa legacy, joining in 1965. She enjoyed her Tri Kappa sisters and their mission of promoting charity, culture and education. She had a heart for her community and had previously served on the YMCA board. She was passionate about animals and rode horses all of her life. A Labrador breeder, she enjoyed raising them and trained three of her dogs to be Leader Dogs for the Blind.
Kathy loved singing, dancing and art of all kinds. She loved to travel with her favorite destinations being Tybee Beach near Charleston, SC, Panama City Beach, FL, and Oak Street Beach in Chicago. She was a free spirit with a warm smile and a contagious giggle who loved her family and friends with every ounce of her petite frame. Kathy enjoyed social media because it allowed her to connect with family and friends all over the world. In her final days, she wanted an “un-funeral” like Klinger had on the show MAS*H and she treasured the steady stream of visitors who came to show their love.
Kathy was blessed with two wonderful daughters from her previous marriages, Darcy Myers (Billy Scales), of Logansport, and Kathryn Carey “KC” Reynoso, of Kokomo. She adored her grandchildren, 13-year-old Leonardo “Leo” Santos Reynoso and 9-year-old Alejandro “Alex” Cruz Reynoso. She is also survived by her half-siblings, Lee Nysted and LynnAnn Nysted-Ueland Thomas as well as nephews, Scott Miller (Jamie) and Scott Dickson.
She was preceded in death by her sister, Jeanie Miller and her niece Judy Dickson.
A Memorial Service celebrating Kathy’s life will be held at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 24 in Fisher Funeral Chapel with her dear friend, Jay Hirschauer, officiating. The Alpha Mu Chapter of Tri Kappa will conduct memorial rites at the start of the service.
Friends will be received from 5 p.m. until the time of the service in the funeral chapel.
To honor Kathy’s love of animals, memorial contributions may be made to the Cass County Humane Society to support their spay and neuter program and provide food for those in their care.
You may share memories, photos and condolences on Kathy’s Tribute Wall at www.fisherfuneralchapel.com