Kathe Clabaugh, age 73, died peacefully on October 1, 2019 in her Ventura home. Kathe bravely battled a rare form of ovarian cancer for 13 months and maintained her wit and sense of humor until her last days. One of six siblings, she was born November 30, 1945 in Joliet, Illinois to Carl Hawley and Jane Elizabeth Lindholm. Her family moved west to Southern California in 1951 in order to escape the harsh Illinois winters. She graduated from Montebello High School in 1963.
Kathe was a long-time Ventura resident for over 45 years. She was dedicated to the community and local school system. She worked in a variety of administrative roles in the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) for over 15 years. She loved serving in the PTA and cherished the long-time friends that she met there. For 20 years after her children’s graduation, she continued to assist in the annual Grad Night for VUSD seniors.
She was a dedicated mother and grandmother. She treasured her children and embraced every moment with them and their families. She was a steadfast and stable force in the lives of those she knew well. She preferred to be behind the scenes, quietly listening and observing, which gave her a keen sense of intuition. She could disarm you with her humor when you didn’t expect it. She valued hard work and prized loyalty, thrift, and being a person of your word. Kathe was always supportive, always generous, and always on time! She loved the simple pleasures of baking delicious pies, sewing, and traveling with friends.
Kathe is survived by her sisters and husbands Karen and Peter Wollenberg, Kandy and Dan Schatz, and Kristy Lindholm; her two children and spouses Kari and Todd Fields and Jason and Tami Clabaugh; and her five grandchildren, Mikaela Clabaugh, Moses Clabaugh, Tatum Fields, Nolan Fields, and Natalie Fields. All of these she quietly loved and touched in her own way.
Please join us to celebrate her life on Thursday, October 17, 2019, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Pierpont Inn, 550 Sanjon Road, Ventura. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance – www.ocrahope.org.