Kathleen R Tosterud Obituary (1920 - 2023)

It is with a sense of deep sorrow and immense gratitude for her life that we announce the passing of Kathleen R Tosterud, who left us on June 24, 2023. Despite our grief, we are comforted by the thought of her reunion with her beloved husband, James Tosterud, her parents, Nellie and Carl Rork, and her sister, Isabelle Schmidtke. In the words of the poet Maya Angelou, "A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again." Kathleen was indeed such a soul, binding us together with her love and her spirit. She was 102 years old. Kathleen was born Hazel Kathleen Rork on September 5, 1920, in Muscotah, KS, to Carl A Rork and Nellie M (Rice) Rork. She grew up in Muscotah and was raised by her father after her mother died during childbirth in 1924. Her father passed away in 1952 and her sister Isabelle passed away in 1993. Kathleen’s journey was one of resilience, determination, and unyielding love. After marrying her soulmate, James, on October 5, 1938, she quickly became the epitome of a loving wife, a nurturing mother, and a pillar of her community. Kathleen spent her professional life as a banker with Security Pacific Nat'l Bank in Claremont, CA, where she was admired for her unwavering dedication and integrity. Her retirement in 1986 marked the end of a career filled with achievement, but the beginning of a new chapter where she cherished the simpler joys of life in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Kathleen was known for her generous heart, her radiant smile, and her ability to make everyone feel special. Her legacy survives in the lives she has touched and the love she has given. She is survived by her daughter, Kay Bower, her son-in-law, Kenneth Bower, her step-grandson Kenneth Jr, and her step-granddaughter Loretta Bower, along with three great-grandchildren. As Albert Einstein once said, "Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us; our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life." In this spirit, Kathleen’s memory will continue to live on through the lives of her loved ones. Only God could make someone who just can't leave kind deeds undone, who'll turn the other cheek and then just never mention it again, who'll always give a little more than people even ask her for but quietly, no big to-do, only God could make you. We encourage all who knew and loved Kathleen to share their memories and photographs on her memorial page, as a tribute to a life marvelously lived. In sharing, we can keep her vibrant spirit alive and celebrate the remarkable woman that was Kathleen R Tosterud.