Kathryn “Kathy” Ann (Sharpee) Kindschy passed away on January 3, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. 

Kathy was the youngest of four children born to Louis and Mary (Caldwell) Sharpee on September 9, 1964, and was raised on the family farm in rural Rio, Wisconsin. Kathy lived a true Wisconsin farm childhood, with life-long childhood friends, complete with long bus rides to and from school; church and Sunday School every Sunday; 4H club led by her mother, where she learned how to sew and craft; working with the tobacco planting and harvest; and the freedom of driving to and from school and different events as soon as she had her license.

After graduating from Columbus High School in 1983, Kathy attended Madison Area Technical College. Her aptitude for retail management launched her off the farm and into the big city of Dallas, Texas where she moved to regionally manage stores for such companies as Esprit and the Disney Store. While in Texas Kathy furthered her career and made amazing trusting friendships that proved to be lifelong. Perhaps the best thing to come from her time in Texas was when she became a mother to her pride and joy, Chelsea. 

With young Chelsea in tow, Kathy moved back to Wisconsin in the mid-1990s and continued her Retail Management career at both Younkers Department Store and Shopko, moving amongst several locations, making needed changes and improvements to impact each location’s operational efficiency and profitability. It was at Shopko where a chance encounter with a tall man in the garden / outdoor department turned into true love.

Dennis and Kathy married in October of 2002 and settled in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Together, and with Chelsea, they enjoyed frequent movie theater dates to see the latest scary movies, concerts, reality TV, cooking and baking shows, and anything that involved spending time with family and friends. Kathy also loved to travel and see new sites. As a family, Kathy, Dennis, and Chelsea traveled to several beautiful areas of the world (Door County, California, Florida, Hawaii and Mexico being repeat destinations), and Kathy and Dennis would take numerous car rides not only in Wisconsin but in other areas they traveled, enjoying time and exploring and finding new beautiful places together. 

In 2020, Kathy was promoted to the role of grandmother when Chelsea became a mother herself, to Eleanor. Kathy had the extra joy, along with Dennis, of setting up grandparent day care for Eleanor during the first two years of her life. When Eleanor started pre-school, Kathy and Dennis relished in their continued role as involved grandparents, enjoying Eleanor’s various activities and hosting sleepovers as often as possible. Just three months ago, Kathy and Chelsea shared a mother-daughter dance at Chelsea’s wedding, where Kathy gained a son-in-law in Nate and another granddaughter in Jaycee. Though the mother-daughter dance is not something that is traditionally seen at weddings, it was a perfect expression of the relationship that Kathy and Chelsea shared.

Those who knew Kathy are aware of her years-long battle with various health issues. While Kathy’s physical abilities changed over time, Kathy adopted ways to keep busy and to continue spreading love from her home. With her sister, Sue, a phone call away and close by, Kathy enjoyed having her help with things that became hard to complete while still having some independence in the home. And as possibly one of the top customers of the US Postal Service, Kathy sent greeting cards and postcards to everyone she knew, always remembering birthdays and special occasions. Kathy felt it was important to let people know they were special to her in her life.

Kathy is survived by her loving husband, Dennis, and daughter, Chelsea (Nate) Privett, as well as their children Jaycee and Eleanor.  She is further survived by her siblings, Ronald (Debra) Sharpee, Susan Sharpee, and Michael (Vicki) Sharpee; Dennis’ siblings; nieces; nephews; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws, and dear friend Judy. 

Following Kathy’s wishes, her ashes will be interred at a private family service and burial at Spring Prairie Lutheran Church in Keyeser, Wisconsin, with Rev. Rick Bursh presiding.

The family would like to thank the staff at the University of Wisconsin Hospital for the exceptional care and comfort they provided Kathy in her final days. Those wishing to make memorials, any amount received, the family will be using to honor and remember Kathy by placing engraved bricks within Door County’s Peninsula State Park by the newly constructed wheelchair accessible Eagle Tower.  The money donated for the bricks helps sustain the majestic landscapes and ecosystems of Peninsula State Park for future generations.