Obit: Much, Kathy (1947 - 2023)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Much, Severson, Gostomski, Szczech, Hanson, Scheel, Culton, Wilson, Buman, Ehler, Fadden, Cliver, Smith

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Greenwood, Clark Co., WI) 2/12/2023

Much, Kathy (23 September 1947 – 11 February 2023)

Kathy Much, 75, of Greenwood, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at Marshfield Medical Center, surrounded by her family.

Kathy (Severson) Much grew up north of Loyal, the oldest child of Helen and Lester Severson. She enjoyed life on her parent’s farm and the many adventures she had growing up with her four younger brothers. She graduated from Loyal High School, and it was during high school that she met the love of her life, Richard. They married in 1966 and after a couple of years living in Milwaukee, they returned to the area and bought their own family farm near her parents. Together they had and raised five children. Kathy worked on the farm as well as working as a nursing assistant at the Clark County Health Care Center while her children grew up. She also worked for two years at Grassland Dairy in Greenwood and intermittently for the U.S. Census Bureau. After her children were all grown, she enjoyed being an amateur photographer for several years.

Kathy's greatest joy in life was first being a mom and then being a grandma and great grandma. Not a day went by when she was not surrounded by family. Throughout life, family was her biggest priority. While they were alive, Kathy spent a great deal of time with her parents, and she enjoyed every minute she could with them. She taught us all to never take one another for granted and to always make time for family. Kathy talked in person or on the phone to her children every day. She and her daughter, Kim, started each day with a check-in and a visit. Kathy was happiest with her house full of people, and it was usually a very full house all the days that she was there. Many days her home was a meeting place for coffee or short-order meals for anyone who stopped by. Kathy was always happy to see her family and friends, and she would not miss any celebration in their honors. Her children, grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and friends were always the center of her attention. Walking into her home, anyone would notice the endless photos that tell the story of who she was. Photographs wrapped her in love all day and allowed her to be surrounded in it every minute of her life.

Kathy explored many hobbies during her life including an excessive amount of crafts, sewing, quilting, computers, photography, baking and cooking, hunting, fishing, and camping, among many more. Another thing Kathy enjoyed was her dogs. She loved them like they were human members of the family, and they are missing her as if they were. She also loved listening to Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash music daily. For the past few years, especially after retiring from farming in 2009, Richard and Kathy enjoyed frequent traveling. They went to Florida often to visit Kathy's niece and her family, Canada for annual family fishing trips, South Dakota visiting friends and hunting, and all around the state to see family and friends. Another one of her favorite pastimes was shopping, and Kathy was almost always on the hunt to find things she wanted to give to others. She also enjoyed garage-sales most of her life, and, for the past few years, Dick really enjoyed joining her, so they added thrifting weeks to the list of many adventures they took together.

Kathy was reunited in heaven with her mom and dad, Helen and Lester Severson, her two brothers, Bob Severson and Ken Severson, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ervin Much and Jean Much, her sisters-in-law June Severson, Lisa Severson, and Pat Much, and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tom and Linda Much, as well as her daughter-in-law, Tracy Much, and many more family and friends. She is undoubtedly surrounded in love and probably playing cards at a very full table.

Kathy will be dearly missed by so many. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Richard, her children, Kim and Glenn Gostomski of Loyal, Rich Much, Jr. of Owen, Donna Much of Owen, Mike and Heidi Much of Marshfield, Don Much of Owen, and Rod Much and Alyssa Szczech of Loyal. She is further survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Kathy Severson of Curtiss, her brother, Rick Severson of Barron, her sister-in-law, Joan Severson of Greenwood, her brothers and sisters-in-law, Marion and Christa Much of Rhinelander and Keith and Nancy Hanson of Oneida, her brother-in-law, Jim Much of Milwaukee, as well as 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, Tyler Scheel, Dylan Much and Braquel Gilman and their son Ashtyn, Amanda Much and Luis Castillo, Jasmin Culton and Lane Wilson and their sons Noah and Emmett, Hunter Much and Morgan Buman, Jessica Much and Taylor Ehler, Misty Much, Riley Much and Sarah Fadden, Logun Much, Brooke Much and Tanner Cliver, Allison Much, Remington Much, and Kenzie Much, and her many, many family and friends.

A funeral is planned for Friday, February 17, 2023, at Green Grove Mennonite Community Center north of Loyal. Visitation will run from 10-11:30 am, the service will be at 11:30 a.m., with Pastor Geoff Smith officiating.