Kathleen "Kathy" Fossum
Kathleen Jo Fossum, 75, of Waukon passed away Saturday, May 23, 2026. Services will be held Friday, July 10 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. Family and friends will be able to visit with the family prior to the service from 9-11 a.m. at the church. After the service, family and friends will be welcomed to gather at The Empty Nest Winery in rural Waukon for visitation and a lunch.
A private graveside service will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to St. Patrick’s Schools, Veterans Memorial Hospital, or Good Samaritan Center, all in Waukon.
Kathy Jo Waldron was born July 12, 1950 in Waukon to Bill and Marge Waldron. Kathy was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick’s Church in Waukon. She attended St. Patrick’s School in Waukon, grades 1-12, and graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 1968. Kathy worked at the Waukon Bakery during her school years.
After high school, Kathy attended La James Beauty College in Mason City for a one-year program. She moved to Spencer and taught beauty school at La James College for four years. She then moved to Park Forest, IL and later to Flossmoor, IL where she welcomed her beautiful daughter, Brenda. Brenda was adopted by an arranged adoption, and many years later, Kathy and Brenda were reunited and remained close.
After many years, Kathy reunited with a past boyfriend that she had dated previously for one-and-a-half years. Jim Fossum came back into her life and four months later they were married, April 29, 1979 in Waukon.
Kathy worked in Waukon as a hairdresser for about a year at Kristi’s Style Setter. It was in March 1984 that their son, Michael, was born. They moved to Winona, MN for about four years for different job opportunities. In 1989 Kathy and the family moved back to Waukon to buy the Waukon Bakery and Catering. For 12 years, they operated the bakery until closing it in 2001.
After closing the bakery, Kathy and Jim decided to manage and operate the Vet’s Club in Waukon. Four years later, Kathy decided to go to Nursing school in Calmar, at the age of 55. About two years later, she started her nursing career at Good Samaritan Center. She worked there for about 10 years. It was then time for another move.
Kathy and Jim moved to Arizona for nicer weather that April. Kathy had to take nursing boards and then quickly found a nursing job at Sun City West - Colonade Senior Living Center for two years, and then she went to a Good Samaritan Nursing Home to work for one year. She continued nursing, having worked in Arizona for four years before moving back to Iowa.
They moved back to Iowa in 2017 and Kathy continued her nursing career at Good Samaritan Society, Northgate Care Center, and Southcrest for one to two years. They moved to Monona and bought a house right in the middle of town. Kathy started working at Garden View Nursing Home for about two years. They stayed in Monona about four years and then moved back to Waukon in the spring of 2025 and rented a condo on the golf course.
Throughout her lifetime, Kathy has enjoyed, and still enjoyed, many activities. She enjoyed reading, cooking, fishing, spending time at the river, doing cross-stitching, playing cards with her sisters and family, listening to Relevant Radio, going to church groups, participating in Christian Experience Weekend (CEW) and entertaining family and friends. Kathy enjoyed being active with CEW and served on the St. Patrick’s Church Board. She also was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary.
She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Marjorie Waldron; one brother, Rick Waldron; one sister, Gwen Waldron; two sisters-in-law, Jean Waldron and Anita Waldron; and two brothers-in-law, Frank Selder and Monte Smith.
She is survived by her husband Jim Fossum; her son Michael Fossum; her daughter Brenda Long (husband Brian); her son Jimmy Fossum (wife Ginger Fossum) and their daughters McKenzie Fossum and Ally Mink (husband Tyler and their daughter Raelynn); five sisters, Jan Votroubek (husband Ed), Sue Smith, Wendy Waldron (husband Larry Stott), Peggy Thomas (husband Tim), and Jane Sivesind (husband Dan); two brothers, Den Waldron (wife Becky Picard) and Greg Waldron (wife Moira); several nieces and nephews; and several close friends.
Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.iowacremation.com under Obituaries.
