Kathleen Ogren

Kathleen “Kate” Ogren, 74, of Marcus, Iowa went to be with Jesus on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at her home following a courageous, yet graceful battle with cancer. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at Grace United Methodist Church in Marcus, Iowa. Rev. Dr. Travis Stevick and Pastor Nick Keonig will officiate. Burial will follow at Marcus Amherst Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at Grace United Methodist Church. The family will be present from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral service on Wednesday. Memorials will be dedicated to non-profits special to Kate.

Kathleen A. Ogren was born on March 2, 1947, in Marcus, Iowa, one of ten children to Merle and Edith (Heinis) Sand. A tow-headed girl, who her mother said was the third stair step after John and Jim, spent many a summer swimming with cousins in cattle tanks. She attended Holy Name Catholic School in Marcus, where she was a cheerleader and a Kitten (jump rope drill team) until it closed and transferred to Marcus High School where she graduated in 1965. Following high school, Kate attended the Institute of Medical Technology in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After dating for ten years, she married Kenneth Ogren on May 1, 1971, in Marcus. Kate told her sister Peggy that Kenny would be a wonderful father.

After college, Kate returned to the area where she was the X-ray and Lab Department head at the Orange City Hospital, a position she loved and held for six years before joining the family business. Kate worked for several decades as the Comptroller for the Sand Family group of businesses. She loved working and spent long harvest hours at the Seed House managing the finances, a skill taught to her in part by Ken’s banker knowledge. She “retired” in 2016.

Kathy was a devoted daughter who would daily venture to her mother’s house for morning coffee and aid in completing the day’s crossword puzzle. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Marcus and served on various boards. She also belonged to P.E.O. and played in golf and bowling leagues in Marcus.

Grateful to have shared her life is her husband of 50 years, Ken of Marcus, IA; a son and his wife, David and Malina of Glendale, AZ and their children-her prized girls- Jansen and Kendall; a daughter, Michelle of San Francisco, CA; brothers, Chuck (Julie) Sand and John (Patty) Sand, both of Marcus, IA, Steve (Dian) Sand of Chandler, AZ, Ed Sand of Marcus, IA, Bill (Stephanie) Sand of Waukee, IA; a brother-in-law, Willie Goth of Marcus, IA; sisters, Peggy (Dick) Hays of Tulsa, OK and Barb (Doug) Dreckman of Marcus, IA; and sister-in-law, Rita Sand of Marcus, IA; along with several nieces and nephews. She treasured time with family, whether at the Okoboji Lake House tooling around on the boat; watching sunsets together in Waikiki; enjoying dinners at Chuck’s Cellar in Hawaii, Archie’s, or the Golden Pheasant; and spending time in Arizona with Jansen and Kendall.

She was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws, a brother, Jim Sand; a sister, Pat Goth, brother-in-law Roger, and nephew Troy Sand..