Kathryn Marie “Kathy” Gautcher, age 61, of 1512 Dakota Avenue; Gladstone, died Friday, August 4th, 2006 at home surrounded by family and friends.

Kathy was born March 29th, 1945 in the Denver, Colorado area , the daughter of Ralph and Dorothy (Marion) Shafer and was raised in Denver and graduated Merrit Hutton High School in Thorton County, CO. In 1963, she attended beauty school in Denver, and was employed as a beautician for J.C. Penney.

Kathy married Geoffrey G. Gautcher March 18th, 1967 in Duluth, Minnesota and Geoffrey was in military service from 1964 to 1985.

Kathy was a faith-filled member of All Saints Parish and put her faith into action through service to God and her parish community. She was employed as a sacristan at All Saints Parish and took great pride in that ministry. Kathy proudly took on chairing All Saints Harvest Dinner for seven years and worked tirelessly to make the dinner a success, as the proceeds from the dinner helped to make Christmas happier for many poor and needy families. For years, she was chairperson of the Parish Funeral Luncheon Committees, which help to minister to families at the time of death. As far as spiritual ministries in the parish, Kathy was a lector at daily and weekend liturgies and along with other volunteers also ministered to the homebound with visits and bringing communion to them.
In addition, along with her husband, she started the “Hearts of Praise” Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group at All Saints Church in 1992, served on the All Saints Catholic Charismatic Conference Service Team for a number of years, was a member of the Diocesan Charismatic Team for 17 years, and was co-liaison with Fr. Mike Steber to the Bishop for Charismatic Prayer and she was also a member of the State of Michigan Charismatic Organization.

Kathy was also active in her faith as a leader in numerous Bible studies in All Saints Parish from 1991 to 2005 and as a co-founder of the “Little Rock Scripture Study” at All Saints. In earlier years, she was a member and leader of the “People of Praise Group” in Gwinn from 1984 to 1989.   

Through Kathy’s faith example, she inspired many people to a closer relationship with God and she touched many lives without realizing her role in doing so.   

In her leisure, Kathy enjoyed hiking, camping, canoeing gardening, and watching “Star-Trek” with her husband.

In addition to her husband, Geoffrey, Kathy Gautcher survivors include:

Her mother, Dorothy Shafer of Northglenn, CO.

Mother-in-law, Margaret Ann Gautcher of Parma, Ohio

4 Brothers- Steve (Pat) Shafer of Plattville; CO, Thomas (Betty) Shafer of Northglenn, CO; Charles (Shirley) Shafer of Grand Junction, CO; Robert (Janet)Shafer of Westminster, CO

2 Sisters- Fran (Larry) Higgs of Pueblo, CO; Trudy (Terry) Newman of Arkansas City, Kansas

Numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her father, Ralph, in 1981, and by her father-in-law, Edward John Gautcher.

The family of Kathryn M. “Kathy” Gautcher will receive friends on Wednesday at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at All  Saints Church with Fr. Arnold Grambow officiating. Concelebrating Mass with Fr. Grambow will be Rev. Fr. Mike Steber, Rev Fr. Raymond Zeugner, and Rev. Fr. Jacek Wtytko.

Luncheon will follow services at the All Saints Parish Hall. Burial will be in the Fernwood Cemetery.
The Gautcher family respectfully requests memorials in Kathy’s behalf be directed to Charismatic Renewal, including the National Service Committee, the Michigan Service Committee, or the Upper Peninsula Diocesan  Renewal Committee. Envelopes will be available at the Skradski-Boyce Family Funeral Homes of Delta County who are assisting the family.