Kathleen Marie Staten

Kathy attended Black Hawk Elementary School and Blessed Sacrament Elementary School. She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy and attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

On February 24, 1990, she married Donald Joseph Staten at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield, Illinois.

She was fiercely loyal to her friends and showed up fully in every space she occupied. Caring for others came naturally to her, and she was known for her patience, strength, and compassion when her family needed it most. She believed deeply in being there for others and carried that belief through steady care and commitment.

Above all else, she loved being a mother. She poured herself into raising her four children, finding her greatest joy in encouraging them, supporting them, and being there for their lives. Her love was steady, generous, and unwavering, and she took deep pride in the people her children became. To know her as a mom was to know someone who gave her heart freely, without condition. Kathy overcame breast cancer with remarkable strength and faced Alzheimer's disease in her later years. Through it all, her extraordinary sense of humor was a constant source of joy and comfort to her family.

Her love remains in the lives she touched and the memories she leaves behind. She is survived by her husband, Donald Staten; four children, Claire (Patrick) Murphy, Leslie (Cole) Johnson, Jack (Emily) Staten, and Julie (Jake) Kempfer; one grandchild, Lydia Kathleen Kempfer; brother, David (Angie) Ewing; and sisters, Sarah (Scott) Welsh and Diana Kem. She is also survived by many extended family members.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, William Ewing and Helen (Carroll) Ewing; and Margaret “Midge” Ward.

Memorial Gathering & Mass: The family will receive friends at 10:00 am on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1725 S. Walnut St., Springfield, IL 62704 until the time of Mass at 11:00 am with Rev. James Isaacson, S.J.C. officiating.

Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, 2001 North 1st St., Springfield, IL 62702.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2144 S. MacArthur Blvd. Suite 301, Springfield, IL 62704.

The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home-Springfield, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield, IL 62703.