Kathleen Monina Foljahn

Kathleen Monina (Kane) Foljahn, 85, of Battle Creek, Michigan died peacefully at Rose Arbor Hospice, with her family at her side on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

Kathleen was born February 21, 1940, in Louth Village, Ireland. She was the daughter of Patrick Joseph and Kathleen Monina (Lennon) Kane. She was the second to last of eleven children and was known to her family as Mona. She emigrated from Ireland to Alma, Michigan with her sister Margaret in 1961 where they joined several of their siblings and their families. While living in Alma, she met the love of her life, Laverne (Smokey) Foljahn when he was home on leave from the US Navy. They went out for a root beer and the rest is history… they were married in 1965 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alma.

Kathleen went from being an Irish immigrant to a Navy wife. Not long after they were married, they were stationed in Lakenheath, England where their daughter, Margaret was born, followed by Whidbey Island, WA where their son Blair was born. Kathleen continued her life as a Navy wife for 30 years. She was always there for her kids and made a home for them wherever they lived. Her proudest moment was when she earned her United States citizenship in 1992. As proud as she was to be Irish, she loved being a US citizen a tiny bit more. Another proud moment from 1992 is that she got her driver’s license and also became ‘Grandma Katie’ for the first time. 1992 was a banner year!

Kathleen’s Catholic faith was very strong and sustained her through any challenges. As she would say ‘I don’t worry, I pray’...she did a lot of ‘Not worrying!’ She was an active member of St. Phillip’s Catholic Church for over thirty years and had many friends there.

Equally important to Kathleen was her family. When Smokey was going to be stationed in Japan for two years, Kathleen, Margaret and Blair moved to Alma to be close to her family. Margaret and Blair ‘knew’ their cousins even though they had never met them because she talked about them so much. Her time in Alma was a time of reconnecting with her Irish family and helping her kids establish those family ties.

Kathleen/Mona/Grandma Katie…kids, grandkids and great-grandkids as well as everyone else in her family knew how much she loved them. Even though she didn’t return to Ireland until after her Smokey passed, she stayed in touch with her siblings in Ireland and knew the names of all of her nieces and nephews and kept up to date on what was happening with them. Kathleen’s family was always the most important thing to her.

Surviving are her daughter, Margaret B. (Todd) Buckle of Bellbrook, OH; son, Blair E. (Carmen) Foljahn of Battle Creek; grandchildren, Patrick ( MJ) Haight, Michael Buckle, Megan Buckle, Paige Buckle, Eamon Foljahn, Anya Foljahn; great-grandchildren, Colin Haight, Mabel Buckle-Neal; sister, Margaret Stegall of Henderson, NC; and numerous nieces, nephews and their families in Ireland and the United States. Kathleen remained especially close to her niece, Eileen (Boyle) Chlebana. She was preceded in death by her husband (10/08/1995) , her parents Patrick and Kathleen Kane. Brothers Gerry, PJ, Eamonn, Syd, Roger and Vivan Kane. Sisters Mary West, Eileen Boyle and Anna Conlon and a sister-in-law Joan Foljahn.

Friends will be received 5:00-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed Care, where the Rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. James Richardson at St. Philip Roman Catholic Church 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 12, 2025. A committal service will follow at Fort Custer National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in memory of Kathleen may be made to St. Philip Catholic Parish, 112 Capital Ave., Battle Creek, MI 49017 or to Michigan Parkinson Foundation, 30400 Telegraph Rd., STE 150, Bingham Farms, MI 48025-5819. Personal messages for the family may be placed here at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.