Kathleen Laura Gapa

Kathleen Laura Gapa, was born on March 5, 1945 in Ann Arbor, MI to Ellsworth and Ruth Hanlon. Kathleen, who resided in Dearborn, Michigan, passed away on October 5, 2024 at the age of 79. Loving mother of Shelley Kulick (Troy), Colleen Gapa, and Michael Gapa. Dear sister of Eileen Gifford (Keith) and Gail Rice (Gary). Dearest grandmother of Isabell and Hannah
Kulick. Beloved daughter in law to Christine Gapa (the late Earl). Loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents Ellsworth and Ruth Hanlon, her husband Christopher Lynn Gapa, and her sister Leslie Hanlon.
Kathleen graduated from Dearborn High School in 1963, and the University of Michigan in 1968, with a major in English and a minor in French. She earned her Master of Arts degree at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 1978. With her degrees, she went into teaching English and French, fell in love with it, and stayed in love with it for over 40 years. She found great joy in taking her French students to France and Quebec throughout the years to help immerse them into the culture. She was proud that her students were able to speak the language while travelling and considered it an accomplishment.
Christopher was the love of her life and she talked about him often (with a twinkle in her eye) after his passing. He was always in her heart. She simply loved spending time with him. During their marriage, they enjoyed many trips to Stratford for theater adventures and were season ticket holders to Michigan football games for years. She continued to cheer on the Wolverines for the duration of her life. And the Gapa family remained to be one she could call her own.
During retirement, she made sure to keep herself busy and while already engaged with the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for decades and always participating in their annual book sale, she added the Garden Club of Dearborn, League of Women Voters, the Rotary Club of Dearborn, the Kiwanis Club of Dearborn, the Friends of the Dearborn Symphony, and the Quilting Club to her roster. She even volunteered at the polls during elections to include on her list of "to-dos." Genealogy was also a true passion of hers and she spent many hours researching her Hanlon ancestry and sharing accordingly. She made time to put together a Wigilia recipe book for the Gapa family to keep the tradition alive for years to come and was appreciated by all. Kathleen was Mom too, always finding the time to go to her children's softball games in the summer/fall and easily the biggest fan on the bench. You would often hear her throughout the park yelling "SMACK IT" when one of her kids was up to bat and always "THREE UP, THREE DOWN" whenever their team took the field.
In everything Kathleen did, she carried extreme passion. She could fill a room with laughter behind closed doors. Also known for having boisterous debates in the back room with Earl Gapa (at the Gapa household) that could be heard by all, she held her own. She loved cooking and loved talking about and sharing the recipes with anyone who would listen. She loved telling stories of the past and always did so with excitement. Kathleen was incredibly intelligent, creative, adventurous, vocal, strong and independent; exuding those qualities daily. Above all, she was extraordinarily loyal and had unwavering love for her family and friends. Kathleen will be deeply missed by all. She is irreplaceable in their hearts.
Memorial Visitation Friday, October 11, 2024 from 1:00-8:00 p.m. at the Dearborn Chapel of Voran Funeral Home, 23701 Ford Road. (313) 278-5100. Memorial service Saturday 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Inurnment St. Hedwig Cemetery. Donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association. Please share memories and/or leave condolences on Kathleen's guestbook on her tribute wall.