Katherine Ann Kirke, 77, Harrisonville, MO, died Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at her home. Funeral services were held Monday, February 25, 2019 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville with burial at White Chapel Cemetery in Gladstone, MO.

Katherine was born January 31, 1942 in Sheboygan, WI, a daughter of Paul and Alice (Gernandt) Rosel.  She graduated from the Immanuel School of Nursing in Omaha, NE in 1963.  While in nursing school, she was the College Baseball World Series Princess in 1962.   Katherine married Raymond Kirke on May 23, 1964 in Omaha.  She had lived in Gladstone, MO for 21 years before moving to Harrisonville in 2005.

Katherine had worked in many areas in the health care profession, including pediatric, ER, nursing homes, and retired while working in home health care.  She was on the Board of Directors at Kendallwood Home Health.  She was a Docent at the Lincoln, Nebraska zoo, informing the public about the animals and touring the zoo.  Katherine was a life-long Nebraska Cornhusker football fan and had been a Kansas City Chiefs season ticket holder for many years, after moving to Kansas City.  She was a very loving, kind, and loyal person to everyone that she knew, and to her daughter, she was perfection.

Katherine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Raymond on November 5, 2010, two sons, Jonathan and Jeffrey, and one brother, Phil Rosel.  She is survived by one daughter, Jennifer Thomas (Kevin) of Harrisonville, MO; four grandchildren, Sarah Thomas of Dale City, VA, Juliann Thomas of Harrisonville,  and Jonny and Zach Kirke of Lee's Summit, MO.