Katherine "Kathy" Louise Stehlik

In Loving Memory of Katherine Louise (Crowson) Stehlik

August 30, 1946 – April 13, 2025

With profound love and cherished memories, we remember the life of our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Kathy, who peacefully passed away in her home on Sunday, April 13, 2025, surrounded by her family. Born on August 30, 1946, in Plaquemine, Louisiana, and raised in Baton Rouge, she carried the warm spirit and enduring strength of her Southern roots throughout her life.

Kathy was baptized on January 4, 1958, at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Baton Rouge. She began her education at Baton Rouge Junior Academy in 1958, then attended Bass Memorial Academy in Lumberton, Mississippi. Kathy graduated from Ozark Academy in Gentry, Arkansas, in 1965, and went on to earn an Associates degree in Applied Science in Secretarial Studies from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1968 where she was member of the Kappa Theta Society.

She began her career with the Nebraska State Patrol, working in the criminal division as a clerk-stenographer from 1968 until 1971. On March 8, 1969, Kathy accompanied her friend and co-worker, Katherine (Stehlik) Wolf to the PlaMor Ballroom in west Lincoln to meet Katherine’s cousin, Loren Joe, who was playing with the Grebnick Orchestra. Joe and Kathy were married September 6, 1969.

After Joe graduated from law school in 1971, the couple embarked on a trip to Europe. They ordered a Super Beetle from the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany and spent six weeks touring Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Denmark. At the conclusion of their travels, they had their Beetle shipped to New Orleans, then they drove it to Nebraska where it was sold.

Upon returning to the States, Joe became a law partner in Gregory & Stehlik with Kathy doing secretarial work for the firm. The firm was located in the north of the two buildings that now house The Pawnee Republican. Only a few months later, Joe was required to complete Officer Candidate School training for the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and the couple was off to Maryland for three months. They returned to Nebraska in May 1972 as a family of three: acquiring a St. Bernard named Brandy. They added daughter Jennifer two years later. After buying out his partner, the office of Stehlik Law moved to its current location in 1975 and the family moved from their “little house” southeast of Table Rock to the “big house” in Pawnee City in 1976. The family continued to grow with the addition of daughters Elizabeth and Valerie.

In 1987, Kathy decided to further her education and began taking classes at the College of Saint Mary in Lincoln. She took classes on weekends while being an active mom of three daughters and working full time; graduating magna cum laude in 1993 with a B.A. in paralegal studies and passed the National Association of Legal Assistant’s Certified Paralegal Exam in August 1994. Later, she worked for Legal Service of Southeast Nebraska before returning to Stehlik Law Office as an Advanced Certified Paralegal, where she remained until her health forced her retirement in February 2023.

From 1982 to 1986, the couple traveled the State while Kathy served as the First District Representative to the State Central Committee of the Nebraska Democratic Party. Kathy also served for a year as a consumer representative to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council for the State Department of Health, and served many years on the local election canvassing board.

Kathy’s life revolved around her family and she was a devoted mother. Despite working full time, she attended nearly every sporting event, music performance and school function. She served for many years on the Pawnee City Band Boosters; organizing and working countless concession stands, fairground stands, and fundraisers to raise money for band trips and to purchase new band uniforms that the Pawnee City High School Band still uses today.

The family took annual vacations, often via rented conversion van, that included regular trips to visit family in Louisiana. The family continued to regularly vacation together even after the daughters were grown. Joe and Kathy also enjoyed taking trips with the Pawnee City Cruisers and they would also make annual stops at the Amana Colonies and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; sometimes stopping at the casinos in Council Bluffs so Kathy could test her luck at the quarter slots. Throughout the years, there were many dances, family picnics, trips to the farm to watch the girls fly kites or fish or ride horses, and holiday celebrations (both actual and family-created holidays) with the Stehlik family. The most recent being Smokesgiving and St. Smokes Day to celebrate “son-in-law” Jackson’s talents at smoking meat. Kathy and Joe were dedicated patrons of the Brownville Village Theater and attended with the family numerous performances at the Mule Barn in Tarkio, Missouri, the Orpheum Theater and the Lied Center.

Kathy loved to craft and make things. She sewed clothes and costumes when the daughters were young. Over the years she made numerous needlepoint and cross stitch canvases. In September 1973, Kathy and sister-in-law Marna opened Mar-Kit ceramics shop in Table Rock where they offered painting classes and sold ceramics. She was certified to teach for Duncan Ceramic Product in October 1977. Kathy eventually moved the shop to Pawnee City where she continued to paint and hold craft sessions until August 1986. She organized photo albums, created scrapbooks, and enjoyed giving photo calendars each year that she designed for both the Stehlik and Crowson families.

She remained close to a group of childhood friends and this group of “sistas” took many trips together; sightseeings, cooking, laughing, reminiscing, and playing endless competitive rounds of a domino game called Mexican Train.

Kathy found her greatest joy in being a grandma. She was a constant presence in grandson Mason’s life, attending all of his activities, games, and school performances. She was also grandma to Jennifer and Mason’s exchange students, Lisa, Quirin and Storm, and to the many granddogs her girls brought home over the years.

She is lovingly remembered by Joe and their three daughters: Jennifer Stehlik Ladman of Pawnee City; Elizabeth Stehlik of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Valerie Stehlik and her partner Jackson Houtchens, of Lincoln, Nebraska; cherished grandson, Mason Ladman, bonus granddaughter, Lisa Thurn; beloved sisters: Loretta Davis of Angie, Louisiana, and Roberta Crain of Slidell, Louisiana, sisters-in-law: Marna Stehlik of Humboldt, and Merilee Nord and brother-in-law Tim Nord of Ithaca, New York.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Ada (Carline) Crowson; her siblings J.W. Crowson, Clyde Crowson and his wife Willadel, and Marion Bordlee and her husband Paul; and her brothers-in-law William “Bill” Davis, Charles Crain, and Duane Stehlik.

Forever will her memory be held in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Memorial services 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 25, 2025 at the First Presbyterian Church/First Christian Church, Pawnee City, Nebraska with Pastor Howard Blecha officiating.   A link to the livestream is available here:  https://www.facebook.com/100057240888156/videos/3015964221914869. A second link is available herehttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057240888156.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, April 24, 2025 at the  Wherry Mortuary, 919 G Street, Pawnee City, Nebraska. Inurnment will be at a later date at the Czech National Cemetery, rural Humboldt, Nebraska. Memorials to family's choice.  Services are entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, 919 G Street, Pawnee City, Nebraska. 

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