Heaven gained a beautiful soul with the passing of Kathleen M. Tinder on August 21, 2022. Kathleen was born on August 25, 1950 at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, IN. Despite the very best medical care and many years of unwavering fortitude, Kathleen was finally welcomed to her heavenly reward.
Kathleen endured many personal heartbreaks and challenges during her life. She used these obstacles and pain to do God’s work. Her life’s experiences formed her into a most loving and caring mother, grandmother, teacher, wife and a very special friend to so many.
Kathleen was just 9 years old, living in Logansport, IN when her parents died within a few months of each other. At the time her older brother had joined the navy and her sister required specialized care because of a disability. Kathleen felt alone and confused. As if that was not enough of a burden on a small child, she eventually became so ill that she was hospitalized for 6 weeks with a serious illness. These were extremely difficult times occurring during her important formative years.
Kathleen’s aunt and uncle opened their hearts and home to welcome Kathleen into their large family in Indianapolis. Although most of their children were raised and either in college or married living on their own, Kathleen would be raised as one of their own children. By the grace of God, Kathleen slowly began to feel the comfort and love of family. She could not have known it at the time, but the blessing of her new family would help forge the person she would become. It cannot be overstated how important the youngest member of her new family, Beth, who was about the same age as Kathleen, and would become her best friend. God was preparing her for great things ahead. She would pray the rosary every night in bed and then pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary asking for comfort and for her to be by her side.
Kathleen’s new family made possible experiences that opened doors that exposed her to wonderful opportunities. She attended Christ the King Catholic School, Bishop Chatard High School, Ball State University, and received a masters degree from Butler University. At Christ the King, Kathleen had a nun as a teacher that went out of her way to look out for her and helped her feel good about herself for the first time in her life. Equally impactful was a particular professor she had in college. This instructor took the time to know every student, express compassion, and went out of her way to support and guide students with loving kindness. It was out of these, and other life experiences, that Kathleen grew to know how difficult life can be for children and that others may not know about their lives or bother to understand their feelings. Kathleen knew she wanted to be a teacher and a mother more than anything else in the world. God and the Blessed Virgin Mary had a plan for her.
Kathleen went on to be an admired teacher at Roncalli High School for 43 years, where she met her beloved husband, Edward J. Tinder. During those years, she found herself involved in virtually every aspect of the school. She always said “I want my classroom to be a refuge where students feel valued and loved unconditionally”. Kathleen established a special bond with every student. There was one particular student that she noticed was not eating lunch for several days in a row. She learned that this family was struggling financially. Kathleen quietly gave him a few dollars every school day for a month so he could eat lunch. She did not want the child to have to go to the school office to explain his family situation. Over the years, Kathleen used her great sewing skills to make many prom dresses for her students that could not afford to buy their prom dresses. Kathleen reached out to every student in a very special way. Her principal commented that “for some students, she was a second mother and in some cases she was the mother that was not present at home.”
During her last years of teaching, her illness escalated to the point of having to perform dialysis treatments on herself in the middle of the school day during her free time. Kathleen received a beautiful gift of extended 10 years of life through the blessing of two different kidney transplants. The first one was through the personal sacrifice of her eldest son, Michael, who gave one of kidneys so his mother could live and experience the joy of being with her seven grandchildren.
Kathleen’s amazing story is one of heartbreak turned into power of human touch. Human touch sometimes leaves us with the sense of what it would feel like to experience the gentle hand of God on your heart. God reaches out to us in many ways through the medium of his created human beings. Kathleen touched the hearts and souls of those around her in a very special way.
Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Eleanor Shaughnessy and Erwin and Catherine Hoeing; brothers Joseph Shaughnessy, James Hoeing and Quentin Francescon.
She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Edward, children Michael (Jennifer), Christopher (Kelly), Megan (Eddie) Keever; grandchildren, Zoey and Gwen Tinder, Faith and Emma Tinder, and Shaughnessy, Kate, and Nolan Keever; brothers, Paul (Beth) Hoeing, Thomas (Anne) Hoeing; sisters, Mary Lou Francescon, Sr. Louise Hoeing, Rosemary Shaughnessy, and Beth Cretors; sister-in-laws, Linda Shaughnessy and Susan Hoeing; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Sunday, August 28, 2022, from 4PM-7PM at Feeney-Hornak Keystone Mortuary, 2126 E 71st St., Indianapolis, IN 46220. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 11AM at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5884 Crittenden Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220; an additional hour of visitation will begin at 10AM prior to the Mass.
In memory of Kathleen, please consider a gift in her name to CYO Camp Rancho Framasa, 580 E. Stevens Street, Indianapolis, IN 46203; or The Tuition Assistance Fund at your favorite Catholic High School.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.feeneyhornakkeystone.com for the Tinder family.
