Kathleen Ann Kriegler of Ames, Iowa died on December 3, 2016 at Mary Greeley Medical Center, Oncology Unit after a nearly two year fight with ovarian cancer.
Kathy was born July 16, 1955 in Omaha, Nebraska and was adopted on December 21, 1956 by Peter Paul and Bernice Matilda (Smidt) Kriegler. She grew up in South Omaha, Nebraska, moved with her parents to Willow Park, Illinois, and then moved to and graduated from Grand Island, Nebraska in 1973. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University Of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. She received her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Kathy taught music at Archbishop Ryan High School in Omaha, and as an Education Tech in the census division of Omaha Public Schools. Kathy worked as a therapist in Eppley Treatment Center at Methodist Hospital in Omaha and then became the Program Coordinator of Counseling & Student Development at University of Nebraska Medical Center.
In the spring of 2004, she moved to Ames, Iowa to begin her life with Norma J Dowell, daughter of Simeon Gordon and Eva Olene (Cain) Dowell. Kathy and Norma married on May 23, 2009. Kathy worked for UnityPoint Health in Des Moines, the Richmond Center in Ames, Iowa and then became a sole practitioner with Fifth Street Mental Health Professionals in Ames where she worked until she was forced to retire because of her illness in the fall of 2016.
Kathy was an accomplished euphonium player in her youth. Upon moving to Ames, she became a member of the Ames Municipal Band, played in small ensembles, and participated in Tuba Christmas.
Kathy was proceeded in death by her adopted parents, her brother Paul Kriegler, and her biological parents, Grace (Luna) Rodriguez, and Edward Frank Schaeffer. Left to cherish her memory is her wife, Norma Jean Dowell, her son Jordan Paul Kriegler, her sisters, Dee (Craig) Demuth of Union, Maine, Chris Pedigo (Dan) Brown of Flagstaff, Arizona, Loretta Bennett of Stockton, California, Irene Schaeffer of Phoenix, Arizona, Carol Schaeffer of Prescott, Arizona, Louise Schaeffer of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Brenda Schaeffer of Flagstaff Arizona, her brothers, Frank Schaeffer and Jim Schaeffer of Phoenix, Arizona, and a host of in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Read Kathy’s full obituary here.
Memorials may be sent to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.
