Kathleen “Kathie” King Hesse, 94, of Rock Island, passed away, Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at MercyOne Medical Center, East Campus.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, August 14, 2026 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Rock Island. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the mass at church. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island. Memorials may be made to The Shrine of St. Patrick, St. Patrick, MO or St. Pius X Catholic Church, Rock Island. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Kathie King Hesse was born in St. Patrick, MO, the daughter of William P. King and Nellie J. (McDermott) King. She married James L. Hesse on June 17, 1961 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Davenport. He preceded her in death in 1982.

She graduated from St. Patrick High School in St. Patrick, MO in 1949. After graduating from Mount St. Clare College in Clinton, IA she earned a BA Degree from Marycrest College, and a Master’s Degree from Western Illinois University. She did post-graduate work at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. (Go Hawks!)

Kathie began her teaching career at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in DeWitt, Iowa. She had 4 wonderful years there. She then taught at Jefferson School in Davenport, Iowa for thirty-nine years. Many years brings many memories.

After retirement she joined Global Volunteers out of St. Paul, MN and traveled to many foreign countries teaching. She thoroughly enjoyed traveling and teaching and made many lasting friendships in Ireland, Poland, Spain, Italy, Australia, China and Greece.

Kathie was proud of her Irish heritage and made many trips to the “Land of the Leprechauns!” She loved to tell stories about her great grandfather who was born in Co. Cork, Ireland and later moved to Co. Fermanagh, Ireland and after several years decided to move his little family to America. They settled in the little Irish Village of St. Patrick, MO where he lived until the age of 110 years, 6 months – Long live the Irish!

She was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society, Friends of the Hauberg Estate, Figge Art Museum and a volunteer usher at the Adler Theatre for many years. She was a proud member of the elite group, The Big 6.

Kathie was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim, brother Pat King, sisters Mary Jones, Callie Boudreau, and Geneva Wiegand, brothers-in-law Paul Boudreau and James Wiegand and niece Mary Fredenburg.

She had a very close relationship with her sisters, nieces and nephews.

Those left to honor her memory are her sister and brother-in-law Marge and Marty Linehan, Davenport; and nieces and nephews Vonnie Boudreau, Karen Huss, Stan Boudreau, Jim Wiegand and Jeff Fleming-Wiegand all from Davenport, Monica Hilgenberg, Cedar Rapids, Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand, Iowa City, Tim Boudreau, Bartlett, IL, Cathy Jones, Arcadia CA, and Pat Jones, Lake Oswego, OR.