Katie Ivers Schunk

Katie (Katherine) Ivers Schunk
A bright, unstoppable spark has left this world too soon. Katie Schunk, who graced our lives for 43 wonderful years, passed away during the early morning hours of April 29, 2025, after a courageous three-year battle with colon cancer. The world is a little dimmer, a lot quieter, and far less hilarious without her in it.
Katie was many things-brilliant, beautiful, bold, and totally badass. She was the kind of woman who could light up a room, fix a mess (literal or emotional), and shower you with kindness and compliments while roasting you lovingly in the same breath. She was an incredible human who embraced each and every role that came her way throughout her life–dedicated wife, doting mother, 3rd-in-line daughter, maniacal laughing sister, "hide-the-body" friend, scientific colleague, extrovert extraordinaire, and everyone's go-to person. If you were lucky enough to meet her once, she proudly called you a friend. If you were lucky enough to meet her twice, you became default family.
Katie's proudest role was that of devoted wife to Justin and loving mother to her two incredible children: 13-year-old Max and 11-year-old Mabel. Her family was her universe-and she orbited around them with energy, humor, and an unshakable love that defied cancer, exhaustion, and the laws of time and space. She was always there: the first to show up, the last to leave, the one who brought snacks, heart, and sarcasm in equal measure.
A proud graduate of St. Joseph Elementary and Middle School (Meriden, CT), Mercy High School (Middletown, CT), Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA), and University of New Haven (New Haven, CT), Katie had a lifelong love of science and an even stronger love of people. She poured both of these passions into a successful career in pharmaceutical sales, most recently spending the last 9 years with her team at CSL Behring, where she made her colleagues feel more like cousins and meetings feel more like family dinners (but with immunology training materials).
Katie was deeply committed to making others feel seen and heard, no matter where you fell in her circle of social connections-showing up for others with humor, honesty, and heart. She believed in doing the right thing, standing up for those who couldn't, and always saying the thing that needed saying-even if it made you laugh through your tears. Her "tell it like it is" honesty, wrapped in warmth and love, left a lasting impression on all who crossed her path.
She leaves behind an enormous, loud, loving extended family (the blood-related and the hand-selected kind), including her cherished "Sisters from other Misters"-a lifelong sisterhood of friends collected from every chapter of life. She also leaves behind countless people who considered themselves better because of her presence in their lives.
Katie is survived by her devoted husband Justin Schunk and beloved children Max and Mabel of East Hampton, CT, her parents Christine and David Ivers of Meriden, CT, her mother-in-law, Laurie Schunk (East Hampton, CT), her forever sisters Lynn Ivers Walder (Watertown, MA), Patricia Ivers Opgaard (East Hampton, CT), Stephanie Ivers Heine (East Hampton, CT) and their spouses Adam Walder, Eric Heine and Andrew Opgaard, alongside her nephews and nieces – Evan and Andrew Walder, Owen and Eirik Opgaard, Hunter and Davey Heine, Miranda Schunk, her sister-in-law Amanda Schunk (Middletown, CT) and an extensive network of loving aunts, uncles and super fun cousins.
In true Katie fashion, she didn't want people to fuss-unless the fuss included storytelling, laughter, a strong drink, and the occasional inappropriate joke or dance move. Her funeral service will be held at Saint Joseph Church (22 Goodwill Ave, Meriden, CT 06451) on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET, with a celebration of life event to be held at a later date (location, date and time to be determined). All are welcome to come as you are, but bonus points if you bring a ridiculous story, a strong belly laugh, and an open and radically inclusive heart.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/fc0c5256) which has been set up in her honor–a way to help her family that is lasting, practical, and forward-looking-an action to ease the weight of what's ahead and help carry some of the burdens that a young family should not have to shoulder alone. Or, simply do what Katie would do: show up for someone, speak your truth with kindness, and never miss a chance to love hard and laugh loudly.
Katie, your fierce light lives on in everyone you touched. We promise to honor your life by living ours with the same courage, laughter, and love you gave us every day. Until we meet again…