Kathleen Rose Schiefelbein

Kathleen Rose Schiefelbein — Cassie to her dear friends and family — was born on December 3, 1943, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the youngest daughter of Edward and Mary Reitz. At midnight on January 4, 2023, Kathleen passed away peacefully in her sleep at Norwood Crossing Nursing Home in Chicago, Illinois. She was 79 years old.

A Service of Remembrance for Mrs. Schiefelbein will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at Ridout's Southern Heritage Funeral Home, 475 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham, AL 35124. Following the service, the family will visit with friends at the funeral home before attending the gravesite committal service at 12:30 p.m. at Alabama National Cemetery, 3133 Highway 119 South, Montevallo, AL 35115.

Another celebration of Kathleen's life will be in Milwaukee in Spring 2023. Date, time, and place will be announced soon.

Kathleen grew up in Milwaukee and attended St. Lawrence Catholic School before enrolling in Pius XI High School — from which she graduated in 1961. She would achieve her associate degree in Social Services from the Milwaukee Area Technical College in 1977. She was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Fraternity.

She held many jobs over the course of her lifetime — ultimately retiring from a cherished career at the American Red Cross in 2009. But few of her professional experiences brought her greater joy than her very earliest full-time career as “homemaker” and mother to three precocious, young boys. She was fiercely devoted to family all of her life, and always did her best to help with their care and upbringing.

Cassie met her husband of 57 years, Jim Schiefelbein, in the Milwaukee Militaires Drum & Bugle Corps, and they were married on November 3, 1962 while he was serving in the U.S. Air Force. When Jim was discharged, the newlyweds purchased their first home together in 1964 on South 73rd Street in West Allis, Wisconsin, where they initially proceeded to raise their sons. With a growing family, they later moved to larger quarters on a quiet cul-de-sac at Aurene Circle in West Allis — until the family ultimately relocated to Florida in Fall 1977 to enable Jim to attend the University of Tampa and pursue his bachelor’s degree.

Following Jim’s career path, he and Cassie had residences over the years along Florida’s West Coast; the Baltimore, Maryland area; Spring Hill, Florida; and ultimately Meadowbrook, Alabama. After Jim passed away in early 2020, Kathleen became a resident of Norwood Crossing Nursing Home in Chicago to be closer to family in the area.

An award-winning baker, Kathleen won many blue ribbons for her outstanding culinary craft at county and state fairs in both Wisconsin and Florida. She could bake anything superbly and was especially known for her wide range of pies and her oatmeal and Christmas cookies. Many of her entries were such perennial prize winners at the State Fair that at one point she was literally asked to “retire” from competition to “give someone else a turn!”

Cassie was known for her unfailing kind-heartedness, and no one she came into contact with was a stranger for long. She had a beautiful smile, twinkling eyes, and an infectious laugh. She had a lifelong love of travel, Broadway shows, dogs (most especially those she owned over the years and her beloved “grand-dogs.”)

Kathleen was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, James Douglas Schiefelbein, and by her beloved sisters, Mary Ann Slattery and Barbara Domarad.

She is survived by her brother, Edward (Jan); three children, James Edward, Jerome (Michelle), and Joseph (Jessica); three grandchildren, Brandon Schiefelbein (Merritt), Cade Schiefelbein, and Coby Schiefelbein; great-grandson, Owen Markwood Schiefelbein; one expected grandson, Jack Austin Schiefelbein; and a host of family and friends who were touched by her kindness.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Kathleen Schiefelbein’s name may be made to the American Red Cross, www.redcross.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.SouthernHeritageFunerals.com for the Kathleen Rose Schiefelbein's family.