Kathleen Mae (Dunn) Schoening, 93, of Fulton, Illinois, passed away on April 29, 2026 at The Alverno Nursing Home in Clinton, Iowa, surrounded by her children. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 5th from 4:00-7:00 at Pape Funeral Home in Clinton, Iowa. The funeral Mass will be held at Prince of Peace Church in Clinton on Wednesday, May 6th at10:30. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery with a luncheon to follow at the church.
Kathy was born on May 25, 1932, in Clinton, Iowa, to John and Teresa (Banowetz)Dunn. She was raised on a farm along with her three brothers, David, Donald, and Kenneth Dunn. She was a life-long member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church.
Kathy graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Clinton in 1950. Following high school, she married Donald F. Schoening on May 12, 1951. Together they began farming in Clinton before moving to Thomson, Illinois, where they raised their six children. She worked many years in the Thomson School District, first as a bus driver and later as the school bookkeeper.
Raising her children was her greatest joy. Nothing was more important to her than being a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved spending time with family and creating many memories that will be cherished for life. Family gatherings were special to her, and she was well known for her famous potato salad which she loved sharing with others. She also looked forward to her shopping trips with her girls.
Don and Kathy enjoyed many winters in Arizona where they met many special friends. They enjoyed traveling together. Her husband, Donald, passed away on September 30,1998 and she moved to Fulton in 2013 where she stayed active volunteering at her church, the Windmill Museum, the local thrift store and helping friends and family. She loved the town of Fulton and was blessed with many wonderful neighbors. Kathy was also a member of the Red Hat Society which she enjoyed.
She continued her social nature while living at The Alverno Nursing Home, where she participated in every activity and encouraged others to participate as well. She made many wonderful friends there – both residents and staff members. You never saw Kathy without a smile on her face, even in her final days.
Kathy was one of the kindest people you could know. She was always willing to help others and was a bright light to those who knew her. That was even evident in her brightly colored, matching outfits that she was known for. Her positive spirit and her beautiful smile were an inspiration to everyone. She truly loved being around people and formed many lasting friendships throughout her life.
Kathy was a great mother and taught her family to be strong, take care of others, be kind and respectful, have a sense of humor, keep your faith, and always smile. She was the glue who held her family together and her and Don created a loving family unit. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her – especially her family.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Judy (Kenneth) Dunn; her six children, Barbie (Kevin) Wheaton, Dennis (Linda) Schoening, Kenneth (Debbie) Schoening, Donald (Dawn) Schoening, Lori (Kevin) Curran, and Sharon (Shawn) Smith; 14 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her brothers; and two sisters-in-law. Donald, and Kenny. Online condolences may be left at www.pappefh.com.