Kathleen M. Comito

Kathleen M. Comito

Des Moines - Kathleen (Kathy) Marie Comito was born to Richard and Mary (Meng) Dinsmore on July 28, 1943 in Des Moines. She was the oldest of three children Kathy, her sister Fran, and her brother Dick, were affectionately known as Sis, Babe, and Bud to the family.

Kathy grew up in Des Moines where she graduated from St. Joseph's Academy in 1961. From there she continued her education at Mercy School of Nursing where she obtained her RN in 1964. After graduation, she worked as a pediatric nurse in Washington D.C. and New York City.

Kathy continued her education, obtaining her BSN at Grandview University in 1988 and her masters degree in Healthcare Administration from St. Francis University in 1992. After completing her masters degree, she worked in the Networking Office for Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. It was there that she was asked to go to work at St. Jude's Hospital in St. Lucia, West Indies. She went on to have two stints on the island as administrator of the hospital. St. Lucia became her second home, and she became closely connected to the community forming many lasting friendships. One of her enduring contributions was the establishment of the Children's Home in St. Lucia.

Kathy had a passion for global health in underdeveloped countries. After St. Lucia, she lived and worked in Haitiat St. Boniface hospital in Fond-des-Blancs and later at the ESPWA Orphanage in Les Cayes. She loved the challenge and hard work of taking care of "her boys." This passion again led to her forming many cherished friendships that lasted throughout her life.

Kathy's personal and professional life was easy for her as she nurtured and cared for children, from her two loves at home, Gigi and Tre, to the orphaned children in Haiti. She had enough love for her two and any child that came into her orbit. Kathy was a fortunate one; she was kind by nature.

Kathy was a voracious reader, loved doing the New York Times crossword puzzles, and spent hours doing jigsaw puzzles--the harder the better. Often, visitors to her home were "required" to place (correctly) at least a piece or two into whatever puzzle was sprawled on her table at the time. Her love for reading, puzzles and words kept her always up fo the challenge of a game of "Words With Friends" with her "sister cousins."

Her biggest adventure in life, however, was being a Nana. She has two adoring grandchildren, Joseph Michael and Catherine Rose Wilwerding or "Bubba" and "Missy Lizzie" as she liked to refer to them. She loved doing arts and crafts, chatting on the phone and reading books with Catie. When Joe was a little guy, they played "school" and "malt shop" and eventually Nana enjoyed Joe's cooking creations. She loved keeping up with Joe's triathlons (although she said she could never understand how he completed them) and Catie's dance adventures.

Kathy loved spending time with her brother and sister in Omaha, eating great food, laughing a lot, and making the best memories. She enjoyed having a glass of good wine, playing cards with her family and friends, being proud of her Irish roots, and engaging in political activism.

The world is better because Kathy was in it. She loved big and hard on her family. She took care of the sick and worked with the poor. She enjoyed life. We will miss her smile, her hugs, her dropping chocolate from her "tree house condo," talking to her on the phone many times a day, her meatloaf, her knowledge and memories. She loved us "a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck." We love you Nana.

Left to carry on her legacy of love are her children Gigi (Jim) Wilwerding and Frank (Tre) Comito, her grandchildren Joe and Catie Wilwerding, her brother Richard "Dickie" (Joanie) Dinsmore, sister, Fran (Jerry) Kocmich and many nieces, nephews and cousins including her "sister cousins" the Tibbetts sisters and her godson, Rob Tibbetts.

Memorial contributions can be made to the family and will be directed to the Vieux Fort Childrens Home in St. Lucia, W.I. in Kathy's honor.

A memorial mass of Christian burial will be 11:00am, Friday, October 16, 2020, St. Augustin Catholic Church, 545 42nd Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. The family will greet friends in the church 1 hour before the funeral mass. Burial of her cremains will immediately follow mass at Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, near her parents Richard & Mary.

Kathy's service will be live-streamed from St. Augustin that morning around 11:00am. A link will be shared shortly before 11:00am at the top of her obituary on the Iles Funeral Homes website www.ilescares.com