Katherine R. Lundin

Born on the family farm home near Towner, North Dakota on October 24, 1921 to Peter and Magdalena Haman. Her family was native Germans who immigrated from the farm lands near Odessa, Ukraine in 1896. She was fifth in a family of thirteen that has grown to over 70 nieces and nephews

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With a passion for helping others, she attended the St. Michael’s Nursing School in Grand Forks to become a registered nurse. She served her country during World War II as a Lieutenant in the Army Nurses Corps stationed at Fitzsimmons Military Hospital. It was there that she met and later joined the staff of Dr. John Grow. She was a key member of the Grow Surgical Group that pioneered many innovations in the field of “open heart surgery.”

In 1946, she married John W. “Jack” Lundin and called Denver home for over 60 years. Affectionately known as “Aunty Kay” she spent her later years as a very active volunteer with the Salvation Army, the Colorado Talking Book Library and at the Tennyson Center for Children (Where she was best known for her weekly supply of chocolate chip cookies). With a zest for living, she celebrated her 80th birthday by tandem skydiving out of a perfectly good airplane.

Kay is survived by four brothers –Joseph, Clemence, Billy and Richard all currently living in North Dakota – and her sister Beatrice of Arvada, CO. Kay will be long remembered by her many nieces and nephews – in particular Danielle Howard, Melinda Rothschild, Kenny Tolle, Paul Voilleque and Sandra Campuzano as well as their many friends to whom she was also their “Aunty Kay.”

Kay was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Arvada. A “Celebration of Life Memorial Service” is being planned for June 11, 2015. For details contact Bea Tolle, [email protected].

Memorial donations are suggested for Tennyson Center of Children, 2950 Tennyson Street, Denver, CO 80212.