Catherine Bernadine Klober

Cathy was born on July 31, 1941, at Colonial Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the late William A. Leding and Marie Bauer Leding. She was the second of twelve children and grew up in a loving and lively household alongside her siblings: Mary Magdalene, Cecilia, Rose Ann, Celestine, William, Anthony, Theresa, Johnny, Pat, Mike, and Delores.

Cathy attended St. Boniface Elementary and graduated from St. Scholastica Academy, an all-girls high school in Fort Smith. She and her sisters worked at her fathers’ Frigid Cream to help cover school expenses — a place remembered fondly for its ice cream and neighborhood charm next to their father’s cleaners.

After high school, Cathy began her professional journey at St. Edward’s Hospital as a one-person payroll office, later transitioning to accounting roles at Weldon, Williams & Lick and Tommy Karam’s Men’s Store in Little Rock. Her career expanded into cost accounting at the Teletype plant and eventually as Bookkeeper and Office Manager at Witherspoon Construction. Once her children were in school, Cathy began working at Freight Sales, which later became Hank’s Fine Furniture.

It was in Little Rock that Cathy met the love of her life, Ron Klober, through a Catholic singles group called the “21 Club.” They married on May 1, 1971, at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith. Their honeymoon took them to Panama City, Florida — the beginning of a life filled with family, friendship, and adventure.

Cathy and Ron raised their children, Chris and Lisa, in Little Rock, first on Fairfield Drive near St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, then in the Otter Creek neighborhood, and finally in their current home in Maumelle. Cathy remained a devoted mother and wife, deeply involved in her church, family, and community.

Throughout her life, Cathy was an active parishioner first at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister, Altar Society member, generous contributor to funeral ministry meals, and helping decorate the church at Christmas time. She also taught third grade on a part-time basis. After the move to Maumelle and transferring to Christ the King Catholic Church she continued to provide funeral ministry meals and participated in missions by helping package medicine for Honduras.

After her retirement from Hank’s Fine Furniture, where she worked for 15 years and rose to Office Supervisor, Cathy pursued her passion for art. She joined several co-op studios, creating and selling her artwork while enjoying the community of fellow artists. She frequently donated her work to charitable causes. Cathy also loved spending time with her family, and they made many memories traveling together to the beach, ski slopes, Disney World, and across the United States. She and Ron enjoyed turning business trips into mini vacations as well.

In 2018, Cathy was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment, which progressed into Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinson’s symptoms. Despite the challenges, she faced her illness with strength and grace, surrounded by devoted family and compassionate care. Even in her later years, her room at Parkway Health Center was lovingly decorated with her artwork and family touches, and weekly video calls with her family continued to keep her spirits lifted.

Cathy will be remembered for her deep faith, selfless devotion to family, artistic talent, and unwavering generosity. Her legacy lives on through the love she gave and the countless lives she touched.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 54 years, Ron Klober; her children, Chris (Kimberly) Klober and Lisa Klober; grandson, Elijah Klober; her ten siblings, Mary Magdalene (Fred) Heiss, Cecilia (Don) Sloat, Celestine (John) Eichler, William (Barbara) Leding, Anthony Leding, Theresa (Steve) Jenkins, Johnny (Ann, deceased) Leding, Pat (Shana) Leding, Mike (Jolene) Leding, and Delores (Ben, deceased) Edwards; and extended family and friends that will miss her dearly. She is proceeded in death by her sister Rose Ann Leding.

A visitation will be held 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., Monday, October 13, 2025, with a Rosary Service following at 7:00 p.m., both at Christ the King Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will be the following day, Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 10:00 a.m., at Christ the King Catholic Church. A graveside service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the Atkins Catholic Cemetery (716 Ave 3 SE, Atkins, AR, 72823). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Cathy’s honor to St. Scholastica Monastery (1315 S. Albert Pike Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72903).

A heartfelt thank you to Parkway Healthcare Center and Baptist Hospice Homecare for their compassionate care, and to Bill Waters for his dedicated and faithful ministry.