Kathleen Joy (Larson) Throdahl left us Sept. 23, 2021, in Palm Harbor, Fla., after quietly suffering with Parkinson's Disease for many years. Kathy or KT, as she was known by her friends, was born in Tyler, Minn., July 27, 1943.

She was a proud graduate of Marshall (Minn.) High School (1961) and Luther College, Decorah, Iowa (1965), where she was an Art major. A gifted artist and creative soul, she established herself as a high school art teacher in Iowa and Door County, Wis. KT's love of children also led her to direct two pre-schools, one of them a start-up that she grew to 300 students. While creative in all things, her creativity particularly followed her into the kitchen, where, with special flair, she loved to cook. In 1972, she married Peter, her husband of nearly 49 years. They were longtime residents of the Excelsior, Minn., area before moving full-time to Florida in 2005.

No moss grew under KT. With Pete, she traveled the world, visiting many countries along the way. As a member of the DAR, she was able to trace her ancestry to the American Revolution. She will be remembered by Pete and her children for her unconditional, unwavering love and support for her family. Everyone else she met will remember KT's sparkling eyes and bright smile that lit every room she entered.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Peter, their children, Brad (Barbra) Throdahl, Bruce Throdahl, Kristin (Brian) Cebuhar, and her grandchildren, the loves of her life who knew her as "Mecca": Lauren, Jack, Katie, Tyler and Regan. She will be greatly missed by her brother, Bob (Arlene) Larson; her sister-in-law, Carol Feuerhahn and their children.

With apologies to Dr. Seuss, "Don't cry because Kathy's gone, smile because she lived." A celebration of KT's life was held Oct. 26 at Countryside Country Club, 3001 Countryside Blvd., Clearwater, FL and later in Minnesota. Memorials are welcome to the Parkinson's Foundation or the Guardian Ad Litem Foundation.