Kathryn Marie "Katie" Buck

1930 - 2022

Kathryn "Katie" Marie (Baab) Buck

WINONA - Kathryn "Katie" Marie (Baab) Buck passed away in Plainview, MN on Oct. 18, 2022 at the age of 92. A visitation will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 from 12:30-2:00 pm in the Commons at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, MN. A memorial service will follow at 2:00 pm at the church.

Kathryn Baab was born in Minneiska, MN to Gordon and Hazel (Stevens) Baab on July 10, 1930. She graduated from Winona Senior High School in 1948. Katie attended Winona State Teachers College until she married Harry Buck on Dec. 31, 1950. She then paused her education to work full-time so that Harry could pursue his degree. For the next few decades, Harry's teaching career took the family to various communities in Illinois and southern Minnesota, ending up in Rochester, in 1963. Throughout those years, Katie was a primarily a "stay-at-home" mother who devoted her time to tending to the needs of their four children, several foster children and not only supported her husband in his career, but the faculty and larger community. For several summers, both she and Harry served on the staff of the Camp Hok-si-la Boy Scout Camp on Lake Pepin. Katie was a skilled homemaker and an excellent steward of the family finances. She was an active member of every church to which they belonged and a volunteer in every community in which they lived.

Eventually, Katie completed her college education at Winona State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Language Arts in 1977. After obtaining her degree, she worked as a substitute teacher and taught English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in the Rochester schools. Later, she taught ESL to IBM personnel who came from around the world to work in Rochester. In addition to teaching her students English, she introduced them and their families to our American way of life and built many lasting relationships with her students. From 1982-1987, she utilized her organizational and communication skills as the Administrative Coordinator for the Auxiliary at Rochester Methodist Hospital.

In 1987, Katie and Harry began enjoying a long and fulfilling retirement. With their own hands, they built a home overlooking the Mississippi River in Alma, WI. They traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe, attending Elderhostels, exploring nature, visiting former students, volunteering, and following the activities of their ten grandchildren. Never known to sit idly for long, Katie became a columnist for the Winona Daily News, was perpetually crocheting or knitting while watching the news or sports on TV and became an avid quilter, cherishing the friendship of her fellow quilters while creating dozens of beautiful quilts and wall-hangings for her family.

As a life-long member of the Methodist Church, Katie lived her life according to the wisdom of one of its church fathers, John Wesley, who said in part, "Do all the good you can… in all the places you can... as long as you ever can."

Katie was preceded in death by her husband, Harry (Sep. 8, 2022), her son, Andrew Michael, her parents, her parents-in-law, Carpenter and Geraldine Buck, her sister and brother-in-law Dona and Walter Thorpe, brother and sister-in-law Tom and Phyllis Baab, sister-in-law Nancy Evans and brother-in-law Jerry Sieracki.

Katie is survived by three children: Curtis (Susan) Buck of Plainview, MN; Jody (Raymond)Smith of Buffalo Center, IA; Molly Buck and Jerry Ennett of Lakeville, MN; 10 grandchildren:Josh (Amanda), Ira and Adam Buck; Zachary (Mandee), Peter (Erin), Amanda (David) Wente, Kelly (Claire) and Connor (Riley) Smith and Samuel (Amy Hanson) Ennett, Ellen Ennett and 14 great-grandchildren: Max and Lila Buck, Avery, Eleanor, Tillie, Roger, Paul, Thomas, Benjamin, Alexander and Jack Smith, and Henry, Adele and Finnegan Wente. She is also survived by three sisters-in-law: Sally Sieracki of Springfield VA, Carolee Valentine of Bremerton, WA and Christine Buck of Alameda, CA as well as many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Friends of Quarry Hill Nature Center or to the Winona State University Foundation (c/o Hazel K. Baab Scholarship Fund). Mail cards to Jody Smith, 4284 Hwy 9, Buffalo Center, IA 50424.