Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Kathleen Brogan Bawden, 61, a resident of Davenport, formerly of the Springfield, Ill. area, will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 7, 2011 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport.
Burial will take place in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at the Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport. Kathy died Friday, December 31, 2010 at Genesis Medical Center, West Central Park Campus.
Kathleen Brogan was born on April 12, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, a daughter of Michael and Margaret (Yerbich) Brogan. She graduated from Loyola University in Chicago with a B.A. in English and Music history and literature. She later earned her master’s degree in English literature from the University of Illinois-Springfield. Kathleen was united in marriage to Ralph Bawden on October 30, 1971 in Bellwood, Illinois.
In 1979, Kathy founded and established a village library in rural Illinois. She was very proud of this accomplishment, and ran the library until 1986. The library is now self-sustaining and a tax supported institution with a new building. Kathy then went on to teach English, beginning at Christ the King School, Springfield, IL from 1988 – 1999, then to Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield, IL from 1999–2006, and retired from Glenwood High School, Chatam, IL in 2008.
Kathy has spent 30 years as a chorister with two symphony choruses, which included the Springfield Symphony Chorus, and never missed a performance date in those 30 years. She also loved volunteering at the Springfield area NPR station for 15 years. Kathy was a member of Sacred Heart Cathedral, Mississippi Pearls Club, and the McClellan Book Club.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, Juvenile Diabetes Association or Heifer International.
Kathy is survived by her husband, Ralph, Davenport; children, Thomas (Mari) Bawden, Japan, Peter (Summer) Bawden, Davenport, Andrew (Gregory Jones) Bawden, Vestal, NY, and Emily Bawden, Salt Lake City, UT; grandchildren, Nathan, Christine, and Miles Bawden; her mother, Margaret Brogan, Willowbrook, Il; a sister, Bernadette Brogan, Willowbrook, IL; brothers, Michael (Karen) Brogan, Minneapolis, MN, Timothy (Karen) Brogan, Puposky, MI, Terry (Lisa) Brogan, Ingleside, TX; nieces and nephews, Amy, Tim, Michael, Charles, Grace, Sarah, Brett, Brooke, and Belle Brogan; special friends, Mary Sue Kelly Wielgus, Sharon and Kenneth Cohen, Mary Sheila Tracy, Marcie and Tim Bobinsky, Ginny Mead, and Jeanine Kolb; and Chris Williams, whom Kathy consider her son.
Kathy was preceded in death by her father, Michael Brogan. May he rest in peace. Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed by visiting Kathy’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.
