Katie Ruth (Hardin) Kuntarich Obituary

Katie Ruth (Hardin) Kuntarich -CROWN POINT, Indiana-- Mrs. Katie R Kuntarich, age 86, passed away peacefully in her home on May 23, 2020.

Katie was born on September 3, 1933, in Ashburn, Georgia. She moved to Indiana at age 17 and remained an Indiana Hoosier for the rest of her life.

Katie proudly and lovingly served as a stay-at-home wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to her family.

Blessed with a beautiful heart and lively, sweet, caring, and helpful nature, she could be counted on to immediately light up upon seeing her family and friends.

Katie always let you know how special you were to her.
She was truly an angel her entire life...
Our very own "Special Link to God".

Always a faithful church member throughout her life, she most recently was a member of Community Baptist Church in St. John, Indiana where she enjoyed the faith and fellowship of her fellow members.

Katie also volunteered as a "Substitute teacher and Room Mother" for all her children. She was also a Den Mother for her sons and helped with her daughters in the Girl Scouts. You could also find her every year volunteering at the polling booths. Katie also volunteered her blood to help others and received a "50-Gallon" pin.

You could always see Katie and her husband Louis out in the large yard enjoying all the flowers and the huge garden that was shared with anyone who came by to visit.

Katie was an “excellent” card player and her memory was absolutely sharp to the end, winning endless cards and other games with her family.

Everyone loved Katie’s cooking and her salad dressing made true converts of non-salad eaters. You could always count on something freshly baked when you stopped by to visit.

Katie learned how to make “Potica” and other yummy Slovenian foods from her mother-in-law Mildred (Shebat) Kuntarich who lived next door with her husband Louis in the early years of her marriage in Gary, Indiana.

She always greeted her husband Louis at the kitchen door with fresh red lipstick, a big smile, and all the children in a line behind her ready to say Hello.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Louis Martin Kuntarich Sr.; daughter, Patricia Ann (Rigby) Kuntarich; daughter-in-law, Mary (Cichon) Kuntarich, sister-in-law Virginia (nee Kuntarich) (Louis) Mostak, her brother-in-law Robert Kuntarich, her parents: Rufus and Katie (Oliver) Hardin; and her sisters, Julia “Christine” (Ray) Hannaford, Sue (Michael) Dembowski, and Loretta (Paul) Thomas.

Surviving her are her loving daughters: Deborah E. (nee Kuntarich-Klee) Sargent M.D., and Teresa K. Kuntarich; and sons: Louis M. Kuntarich and David R. (Laura) Kuntarich;

10 Grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren:
Roger P. Klee, his wife Eileen Witten MD, and daughters Julia and Katie Klee; Jonathan P. Klee; Catherine M. (nee Klee) Heckel, her husband Andrew, and her sons Cole, Koen, and Rhys and daughter Norah; Aaron D. Kuntarich, his wife Heidi and daughters Olivia and Sofia; Cara (nee Kuntarich) Oller and husband Justin; Sara K. Kuntarich; Karen (nee Kuntarich) Lorbacher and her husband Jack and children Elena and Grant; Christopher L. Kuntarich and his wife Alejandra; Zachary O’Hara; and Meghan O’Hara.

She is also survived by her sister, Patricia “Patsy Ann” (Ray) Frisby; her sister-in-law Rudmila "Roddie" (Robert) Kuntarich and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Like her husband before her, Katie’s remains were donated for medical research and training. This was Katie's and Louis’ decision made many years ago.

Due to the current Coronavirus health crisis, no memorial gathering is planned at this time.

The family instead requests you keep Katie in your thoughts and, should you wish, please make a donation to a good cause that you support.

The thought of losing our beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, sister, and sister-in-law, weighs heavily during this time but we are confident she is watching over us and wishing us well.

Farewell Southern Belle!!