Obituary of Kathleen "Kay" Rose (Slowey) Ekeren

Kathleen “Kay” Rose (Slowey) Ekeren, age 89, of Yankton, passed away Tuesday, August 30, 2016, at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton. On-line condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com. Kathleen was born to Paul F. and Ida (Meng) Kunde on June 12, 1927. She was the 8th of 10 children and the last surviving sibling, She grew up on a farm west of Yankton and attended Lakeport Grade School. She graduated from Yankton High School in 1945. Kathleen first worked in several stores in Omaha, Nebraska. After returning to Yankton, she was employed at J. J. Newberry and thereafter at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in the business office and long distance department. She enjoyed working and made many friends. She spent her weekends at her family farm helping her parents, especially in the garden. Kathleen married LeRoy Slowey at Sacred Heart Church in Yankton on January 16, 1950, and helped him establish a construction company, which is now known as Slowey Construction, Inc. and operated by her sons. Kathleen was also employed with the Yankton School Food Service where she loved being in contact with young people. LeRoy died on August 14, 1985. Kathleen married Maurice Ekeren on July 23, 1994. After retiring from the school district on October 13, 1996, she and “Morey” spent time traveling, camping, and attending activities at the Senior Center. Kathleen enjoyed life and had many hobbies including painting ceramics and china, making crafts, growing flowers, making quilts, and volunteering. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Sacred Heart Hospital Craft Committee, VFW Auxiliary, and American Legion Auxiliary. Kathleen enjoyed her family and was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who loved to cook! Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Maurice Ekeren of Yankton, four sons: Steve (YaVonne) Slowey of Yankton, Greg (Linda) Slowey of Yankton, Tim (Dawn) Slowey of Hartford, and Pat (Camille) Slowey of Yankton; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, three step-sons: Glen (Betty) Ekeren of Volin, George Ekeren of Sioux Falls, and Dean (Kris) Ekeren of Denver, and eight step-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first husband, two infant sons, five brothers (Frank, Fred, Henry, Edward, and Robert), and four sisters (Martha Rifenbark, Bette Christensen, Pauline Merchant, and Alice Zwemke).