Obituary of Catherine LaNora Wiedeman

Catherine “Kay” Wiedeman February 5th, 1920 – May 3rd, 2018 Catherine (Kay) Wiedeman, 98, died May 3rd, 2018 at her home in Portland. She was surrounded by her family and passed peacefully. Kay was born on February 5th, 1920 in Pierce, Nebraska to Martha and Lon Garvey. Kay was the second oldest of eight children. Kay married Lester Wiedeman on August 28th, 1939 in Nebraska. They lived together in Nebraska for 14 years, and had 5 of their 6 children before moving to Longview, WA where they had their last child. The family moved to Portland, OR in 1955. Kay worked at a local nursing home in her neighborhood for many years. Following that, she worked in the Microfilm department of Blue Cross where she retired about ten years later. During retirement, she spent her days babysitting her grandchildren, baking, gardening, camping, and sewing. She was the matriarch of the family and her home was known as the destination for holiday events and gatherings. The candy dish was full and you could always find her special baked goods on the counter. She had a witty sense of humor and you could always count on her to tell you how it was. During her later years, she thoroughly enjoyed traveling with her family. She was a snowbird and looked forward to spending her winters in Arizona and taking short trips to Mexico. Kay is survived by her six children: Carla (George), Joanne (David), Janice (Danny), Janet (Art), Martha (Joe), and Lester Jr. (Karen). As well as, her 19 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren, and 15 great, great grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings: Margaret, Barbara, Beverly and Donald. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Wiedeman, three of her eight siblings: George, Fran and Alice and her grandson, Randy. Per Kay’s wishes, a celebration of life will be held in the coming months. She will be deeply missed.