Kathy (Kathryn) Handke, age 69, of Atchison, Kansas, died Tuesday, January 4, 2022, surrounded by her loved ones.

Mass of Christian burial will be Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 10:30 A.M. at St. Patrick’s Church in Atchison, Kansas. Interment will follow in St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery. A parish rosary will be Tuesday, January 25th at 6:00 P.M. with visitation to follow until 7:30 P.M. at the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home, Atchison, Kansas. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Atchison County Community Schools Foundation or St. Benedict Parish and may be left in care of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.  

Kathy was born February 23, 1952, in Centralia, Kansas, the daughter of Cyril and Emma (Deters) Holthaus. She was raised in Kennekuk, south of Horton, KS. She graduated from Atchison County Community High School in 1970 and it was there she met Gary Handke.

She and Gary Handke were united in marriage at St. Leo’s Church in Horton, Kansas.  They would have celebrated 50 years of marriage on August 5 of this year. They made their home in Atchison, KS. They faced many health issues in their later years, but their marriage remained strong through it all.

Kathy worked in the office at Lincoln Grain for a few years before starting their family.  She took on the role of homemaker raising her six children and helping Gary around the farm. Kathy was the “Jane of all trades” and could do it all. From sorting cows to hanging wallpaper she didn’t back down from a challenge.  In 1991, she began working at Green Survival Nursery.  Kathy later co-owned and managed this business, renaming it K&L Garden Center, until they sold the business so she could spend more time with her grandchildren

Kathy was an active member of St. Pat’s Church, serving on the Altar Society, Parish Council, the funeral committee, as a lector and a lay minister. Kathy was always active in her children's lives serving as a classroom Mom, PTO Officer, and volunteering for all their extracurricular activities.

Kathy enjoyed reading novels, ice cold Pepsi, solving puzzles, and going to the movies with Gary. Every holiday season you could find her humming her favorite tunes and decorating the house excessively, especially for Christmas. One of Kathy’s favorite occasions was the annual family summer vacation. Her favorite place to visit was Table Rock Lake with the family.  Kathy had a passion for being outside in the yard and attending to her flowers and the landscape. Her true passion was her family and she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Survivors include her devoted husband, Gary Handke, Atchison, KS; her loving father and mother-in-law Robert and Frances Handke, Atchison, KS; three sons, Jason (Shelly) Handke, Platte City, MO, Brian (Sabrina) Handke, Atchison, KS, Chris (Amber) Handke, Atchison, KS; three daughters, Jennifer (David) Miller, Atchison, KS, Katie (Nick) Johnson, Atchison, KS, Allison (Brent) Lee, Gardner, KS; 12 granddaughters and 7 grandsons: four brothers, Stan Holthaus, Jim Holthaus, Mike Holthaus, Clint Holthaus; one sister, Ruby Heinen. She will be missed dearly by her friends and family.

She is preceded in death by both her parents, Cyril and Emma Holthaus, a sister, Barbara Jones, and an infant sister Pamela Holthaus.