Kathleen Mary (Volk) Hartig

Kathleen (Kathy, Kitty) was born on December 16, 1947 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the daughter of John P. Volk and Norma A. (Keller) Pfister.

Kathleen was blessed with her "miracle" baby, a daughter, Samantha (Sam) Hartig. She gained a "son" through Sam's partner of sixteen years, Brad Schueth, and was doubly blessed with the arrival of her only grandson, William (Willie) Arlo Schueth in April 2024. In place of a traditional obituary, here are a few excerpts from her Storyworth book entries: 

"My mom took my brothers and me sledding in Kiel and Sheboygan many times when we were young. She always said, 'I’ll always be proud of you!' Now I understand what she meant. We each have to experience climbing the hill, reaching the top, maybe sliding down slowly, hitting bumps along the way, but always pushing ourselves to climb the hill again."

"In the 1950s, I appeared on the 'Lawrence Welk TV Show,' where I played my accordion in front of a live audience of hundreds."

"I took Shorthand classes all four years of high school and earned straight A’s each year. We've certainly come a long way since then—thank goodness! But I'm also grateful I learned Shorthand; it was a tremendous asset to my career."

"In June 1965, at 17, I graduated from South High School in Sheboygan and moved to Milwaukee. I bought red luggage, a sewing machine, a car, took my first airplane trip to Colorado, went on road trips to Florida, and had the job I always dreamed of. Happiness is gratitude, and I am so thankful for those early years!" 

"I gave birth to you, Samantha, but you came with no instructions. All I knew was that I loved you long before I ever saw you. Everything I did was for you, and I did it with love."

"My Mom (Norma) passed away on May 26, 2008, after years of battling Alzheimer’s. During that time, I learned how to offer even a small fraction of the selfless love and help she deserved." Note for the reader: Kathleen passed away on what would have been her mother's 100th birthday.

"Absolutely, without a doubt, my 65th birthday was unforgettable, thanks to my daughter. On October 16, 2012, she told me we were going to New York City to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall—my lifelong dream!"

"One of my best days ever was June 21, 2018, when I purchased a condo close to my job at the airport!"

"I was coming home from a few errands when I suddenly saw at least 30 ducks with their babies slowly crossing the road. I immediately pulled over to the side just to watch them. I believe we can find unexpected moments of 'perfect happiness' every day."

"I am not a grandmother, but if I were, I believe that spending time with grandchildren is more important than any advice. Those memories and experiences would last a lifetime." Note to reader: Kathleen wrote this in October 2021, exactly two years before she found out she would become a grandparent herself.