Kathleen "Kathy" J. Theige, 91, of Iola passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. She was born on February 20, 1935, the eldest of three children to the late Gerhard and Mary (Oberkirsch) Anderson of Nelsonville, WI.

She graduated from Amherst High School in 1952 and from Luther College in 1956. Kathy married Thomas Theige on December 28, 1957 in Nelsonville. She started teaching kindergarten in Port Edwards in 1956 and later in Richfield MN.

In 1973 she and her family moved to Iola, WI. Kathy began working as a 4th grade teacher in Rosholt in 1976 until her retirement in 1996. She taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Confirmation class, while also singing in the choir at Our Saviors Lutheran Church.

Kathy was an avid reader and enjoyed writing poems, landscape oil painting, music, gardening and traveling. She loved spending time with family and friends at Rolling Stone Lake.

She will be remembered as a sweet, loving and generous wife, mother, daughter, grandma and great-grandma. As Kathy enjoyed writing, her family takes comfort in her own words from a little excerpt called AFTERGLOW: "I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one. I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is gone."

She is survived by one son, Jeffery Theige, two daughters, Julie Dillon, Jill (Dave) Bukowski; six grandchildren: Ivar (Laura Johnson) Dillon, Nils (Lindsey) Dillon, Elise Dillon, Emily Bukowski, Michael Bukowski and Jesse Carver; great-grandchildren: Maxwell Dillon, Beckham Dillon, Harlen Dillon, Avery Johnson, Nova Johnson; one brother, Gary (Elaine) Anderson, one sister, Karen (Dennis) Kohler, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Theige, two sisters-in-law Marjorie (Eldred) Manske and Sue (Ron) Bjerke, and father and mother-in-law Hjalmer and Margaret Theige

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Iola with the Rev. Gail Kenny officiating. Visitation will be held on Thursday at the church from 9:30 - 10:45 AM . Interment will be in the South New Hope Lutheran Cemetery in the Town of New Hope.