Kathe van den Oudenaller

Kathe passed away in the early morning of Monday, the 25th of October with her family at her side. That last week she had been visited and surrounded by the ones she loved and the ones who loved her. She was at peace at her passing.

Kathe was born in Worpswede, Germany. As a child in Germany during WWII she had to endure air raid bombings, and both foreign and domestic soldiers occupying their family farm. She lost two brothers during this War, one on the Russian Front and the other on the European Front. The farm in Germany has been in the family for over one hundred years and still is to this day. She loved growing up on her family farm and in time she enjoyed bringing her children and one of her grandchildren there to experience it as well.

As a young girl Kathe always dreamed of traveling, she would follow those dreams and left Germany for Switzerland in her early twenty’s where she lived for a brief time only to return to Germany and then deciding to come to America. She left Germany, what she would always call her “Home,” to start a new life in a country where she had no family and did not speak the language, she left everything she knew, her family, her home, her culture, everything to come to America and try to make a life of her own.

She came to the United States in 1958 on a boat from Germany, well cruise ship., travel by sea was still much more affordable back then. Even though she had left Germany to start her own life she would always try to return home when she could. On the return leg of one of those trips, on a ship, she met Gisela a fellow German with whom she would become lifelong friends, really, family with.

Kathe met her husband, Ron, in 1960. Both worked at Stouffer’s Restaurant in New York City. She loved retelling this story to her children and her grandchildren. She was hired as the salad girl, and he was a dishwasher. He would help her clean the salad bar each night just to be able to talk to her. Since the two home countries were so close to one another they both understood a little of each other’s home languages. Kathe loved to go out dancing and Ron followed suit. They fell in love exploring New York City together and eventually got married in 1961. They had their first child in 1963, their daughter Regina and a couple of years later their son Andrew arrived, followed by their son, Marck, in 1969.

In 1971 Ron and Kathe decided to better their lives, they would make the move to California where they planted their roots. With little plan other than for them to find work when they got there, they sold off everything they owned that could not be strapped to the roof of the family car and made the drive to California with three small children in tow. Once they arrived, they were able to stay with Ron’s brother George and his wife Tini until they purchased their first home in Newark, CA

Kathe’s passion was sewing, she came to the United States hoping to pursue that passion. She was incredibly talented in her craft and quickly became highly successful. She eventually ended up owning her own business in the custom drapery industry. In her spare time, she loved to make her grandchildren costumes, blankets and teach them how to use the machines. She also enjoyed lunches with girlfriends, listening to her German music and shopping in retail stores. She had a real flair for shopping and loved to shower her loved ones with thoughtful gifts.

Heritage meant a lot to Kathe and one of the things she taught her children and grandchildren was how to make Rouladen a traditional German dish, and that dish is still a staple at every family holiday. She also enjoyed playing a German board game called Mueller and taught her children, grandchildren, and even her great grandchildren how to play, all of whom would try but rarely would be able to beat this “expert” player

Kathe was the matriarch of this family. She was immensely proud of her German heritage and taught us all to be proud of ours. Her generous, loving, adventurous spirit and her kind smile will be missed by all who knew her.

Kathe was preceded in death by her husband Ronald, her parents Georg and Anna Catharina and her twelve siblings.

She is survived by her devoted children, Regina, Andrew, and his wife Amy, Marck and his wife Carolyn. Her Grandchildren, Albert and his wife Lilia, Kristina, Alora and her husband JJ, Alix, Arick, Kayla and Hayden. Her Great Grandchildren Dalilah, Viviann and Evelynn.

She is also leaving many nieces and nephews in Germany, Holland, and the United States, all whom she loved very much.

The family is planning a Celebration of Life in May 2022. Springtime was her favorite season when all the flowers are blooming. The family will let everyone know more details of time and location when that time is coming closer to date.