Kathleen A. Jankiewicz

Kathleen Ann Jankiewicz, loving mother, and devoted wife, passed away on October 24, 2021, after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. She was born on March 4, 1946, to Robert and Mamie (Sorenson) Ladwig in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. As a young girl, she inherited a passion for gardening and a love of dogs from her father, with whom she attended field trials. Kathy received her Bachelor of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she also first met the love of her life, Barry Jankiewicz, after teasing him for slipping on an icy sidewalk on their way to class. Less than a year later, following a romantic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs movie date, they got engaged. On June 1, 1968, the two were married, and they remained together for the rest of her life. For the next 53 years, they traveled the world--from Israel to Egypt to Lebanon to the Philippines--all while raising four children. Kathy also spent time substitute teaching in Virginia and Colorado, serving as a paralegal in Denver, working as assistant ranch manager at The Columbine Ranch near Jefferson, Colorado, and being an active member of the Park County School District Re2 Board of Education and Chairwoman of the District Accountability Committee. No matter where the family was living or what other responsibilities Kathy had, she found a way to make a house into a home for her family. From the cookies she baked and sent all the way to Vietnam to her husband, to the countless hours she spent reading bedtime stories to her children or helping them with homework, her love for her family was at the core of her being. She extended this love to her grandchildren, with whom she enjoyed playing games, painting, and supporting their achievements, big and small. Kathy was also a lover of horses, a force to be reckoned with at Scrabble, and a devoted Catholic who believed that most people were just trying to get through life the best way they knew how. She will be remembered for her infectious laugh, her unfailing sincerity, and her exceptional strength of will. Above all else, she was deeply loved by her whole family and always will be. Kathy is survived by her husband Barry; her sister Barbara Wargolet; her children Steve Jankiewicz, Lori Mills, Rebecca Hay, and Merri Jankiewicz; and her seven grandchildren Joshua, Wyatt, Taylor, Logan, Reagan, Bishop, and Jasper. She was preceded in death by her parents and two of her sisters, Joyce (Ladwig) Richardson and Carol (Ladwig) Timmerman. A funeral mass will be held in her honor on Tuesday, November 2, at 11:00am at Saint Mary Catholic Church on 2222 23rd Avenue in Greeley, CO 80634. A reception will follow at Adamson Life Celebration Home, 2000 47th Avenue, Greeley. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Salvation Army or Wounded Warrior Project. Family and friends may leave condolences at www.adamsoncares.com.