Kathleen A. Stover

Kathleen A. Stover

May 16, 1952 – December 27, 2021

Kathleen Stover died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on December 27.  Kathy is survived by her husband of 49 years, James W. Stover; her children: Jason (Amie), Josh (Jeanne), Justin, Katie, and Erin; and her grandchildren: Cameron, Addison, McKenna, Madison,  Kinsley, Barrett, Jameson, and Maggie.

VISITATION: Thursday, December 30^st from 5pm to 7 pm with the VIGIL SERVICE to follow at 7pm, all at the West Center Chapel.  MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Friday, December 31st at 10:30 am at St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, 16701 “S” Street. Interment: Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Always and Forever Midwest Animal Sanctuary.  https://www.alwaysandfurever.org/

To view live broadcasts of the Vigil Service and Mass, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast” button on the home page.

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The family will receive friends Thursday, December 30th from 5pm to 7pm, followed by VIGIL SERVICE at 7pm, all at the West Center Chapel.  MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Friday, December 31st at 10:30am at St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, 16701 S. St., Omaha, NE 68135. Interment: Resurrection Cemetery, Omaha.  Memorials will be directed to Always and Furever Midwest Animal Sanctuary.

Kathleen Stover was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 16, 1952.  She met her husband, James, at Archbishop Ryan High School and they were married on December 30, 1972.  Kathy is survived by Jim; brothers, Mike (Candace) and Pat; children: Jason (Amie), Josh (Jeanne), Justin, Katie, and Erin; grandchildren: Cameron, McKenna, Madison, Addison, Kinsley, Barrett, Jameson, and Maggie.  She died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on December 27, 2021, after a short struggle with cancer and a stroke.

Kathy was born in Omaha and died in Omaha, but in between she did so much more.  Kathy traveled around the country and world and brought life with her wherever she went.  Kathy’s five kids live in Omaha, Minneapolis, Denver, and Los Angeles.  She traveled to all those cities often to visit her kids.  During her life she also traveled to China, Peru, Greece, Italy, France, Amsterdam, Great Britain, Nova Scotia, Canada, Hawaii, Mexico, Barbados, Aruba, and the Bahamas. Kathy visited Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon and Moab in Utah.  She traveled to Mesa with her family to watch the Chicago Cubs’ spring training.  Most recently, she traveled to Sedona to celebrate her 69th birthday.  She spent a lot of time in the mountains of Colorado and all over California with her family.

Kathy didn’t just visit those places, she experienced them to the fullest. She climbed on the Great Wall of China and saw the famous Terracotta Warriors.  She walked through the Roman Colosseum, the Forum, and the ruins of Pompeii during the hottest part of the Italian summer.  Kathy kayaked through the canals of Venice and swam in the Adriatic Sea.  She traveled to Peru and walked on Machu Picchu. She rode the ferries between islands in Greece with her daughters.  Kathy slept in the Amazon rainforest and snorkeled in cenotes in Mexico.  She haggled for purses in Italy and blankets in Mexico, not knowing either language but still getting her point across.

Everywhere she went, Kathy was the life of the party. She always wanted to know what everyone in her big family was doing all the time.  Kathy was always ready to play a game or join in an activity, especially if she could show off her natural athleticism.  She snowshoed in the mountains of Colorado, won the family laddergolf championship in Minnesota, and was improving at Can Jam.  Kathy never wanted to miss out on anything, even when she should have.  She broke her wrist shortly after arriving in Mexico but refused to miss a thing.  She just dangled her hand in the cold water as she floated on an innertube.

Kathy lived for her kids and especially her grandkids.  She went to more baseball games, swim meets, soccer games, softball games, basketball games, gymnastics meets, and volleyball matches than anyone could count. She traveled to different states to watch her grandkids’ activities and proudly let everyone know she was the grandma.

All the grandkids loved coming to Kathy’s house.  The grandkids all knew where Grandma kept the snacks, and there were always lots of snacks.  All the grandkids learned early that there are no rules at Grandma’s house.

It is fitting that Kathy died at Christmastime because now her family will forever associate that holiday with her.  Kathy loved Christmas most of all. She started her shopping months in advance calling herself “the elf”, and everybody always got what they wanted, even when they didn’t know they wanted it. The most important thing to Kathy was that her kids and grandkids would all come visit, which they did every year without exception.  Every December all the bedrooms would be filled with visiting kids and grandkids.  Nothing made her happier.

Except maybe her dogs.  Kathy loved her current dogs, Dash and Bella, and her previous dogs, Timothy and Daisy.  Kathy would never talk about what she wanted her funeral arrangements to be with the one exception that she made it clear she wanted to be buried with Timothy’s ashes.  She loved animals of all kinds.  She didn’t like circuses or zoos because it made her sad to see animals in captivity.  She wouldn’t ride horses for the same reason (but she did make an exception for a donkey in Greece even though she wasn’t happy about it).  Kathy generously supported animal rescue organizations throughout her life.

Kathy was the beating heart of our big family.  If you needed to know anything about anyone in the family, Kathy was the one to ask.  She kept tabs on everybody, whether they wanted her to or not.  She can’t be replaced, but we know she would want her family to continue on without her.  Kathy loved to be surrounded by her family laughing together and the family will continue to get together as often as possible, laughing together remembering and honoring her.