Kathleen ‘Kay’ Humpal, 87

May 31, 1932 —

Feb. 26, 2020

 

DECORAH - Kathleen “Kay” Humpal, age 87, of Decorah, Iowa, died on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020 at Barthell OES Home in Decorah.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, Iowa on March 3, 2020, with Rev. Robert Gross officiating. Interment was in the church cemetery.

Kathleen “Kay” Rose (Heying) Humpal was born on May 31, 1932, the daughter of Peter and Agnes (Bohr) Heying at their home in rural Winneshiek County, near Festina, Iowa. She was the fourth oldest of 12 children and attended country school and St. Mary’s School in Festina.  After graduation, she worked at home on the family farm and for many of the neighboring families.  

On Sept. 5, 1950, she married Stanley Humpal at Our Lady of Seven Dolors in Festina. The couple lived and worked on the farm until moving to Decorah in 1994.  They were married 67 years and had eight children. They also raised Kari and Karla Taylor after their parents died in an automobile accident. Stanley passed away on July 31, 2017.

Kay’s life revolved around her faith, family and community. She cherished her family, and it was her greatest joy to spend time with them. She was one competitive card player, made chicken and pea soup — good for your soul — and could out-bake the best of them with her kolaches and culverts. Kay and Matilda Bily were the ones who introduced “culverts” 48 years ago, when they baked for her twin daughters’ weddings. She continued the tradition of baking for all of the family events. 

Kay loved quilting and made special blankets for new babies, graduations and weddings. She also enjoyed visits to casinos, listening and dancing to a good polka and attending her grandchildren’s events.

Kay is survived by her seven children, Karen (Russ Jr.) Stevenson of Lime Springs, Iowa, Dale (Mary Jo) Humpal of Ridgeway, Iowa, Lonnie (Karen) Humpal of Decorah, Dean (Lois) Humpal of Decorah, Sally (Clair) Malanaphy of Decorah, Tina (Donald) Shatek of Elma, Iowa and Darryl (Michelle) Humpal of Ridgeway; grandchildren, Dr. Kari (Don) Taylor-Evans, Karla (Mike) Clay, Tressa (Kevin) Walton, Jackie (Three) Carpenter, Rodney (fiancé, Tara) Stevenson, Tara Humpal, Jenna Humpal, Dylan (Sarah) Humpal, Melissa (Ben) Fisher, Ashley (Kevin) Wellmann, Brett (Becky) Humpal, Chelsea (Colin) McGuire, Chanda Humpal, Nicole (Steve) Sprague, DeAnn (Chris) Constantine, Josh (Alyssa) Humpal, Jordan Humpal, Jake (Kaitlyn) Humpal, Kelly (Jeff) Evans, Lucas (Sarah) Malanaphy, Colin Malanaphy, Kristen Malanaphy, Jessica (Pat) McCabe, Sarah (Matt) Dick, Brittney (Wyatt) Phillips, Brooke (Jordan) Ferries, Danielle (Mitchell) Hageman, Courtney Humpal, Hannah Humpal and Avery Humpal; great-grandchildren, Mason Taylor-Evans, Ian and Mya Clay, Samantha and Sydney Walton, Jaycee Kay Carpenter, McKenna Mueller, Jakoby Kramer, Cole and Andon Fisher, Austin and Kayden Wellmann, Brayton Humpal, Shannon McGuire, Lily and Emma Humpal, Camryn and Evan Sprague, Hartley and Dominic Constantine, Owen and Stella Humpal, Hayden Evans, Grace, Elias, Azelie and John Paul Malanaphy, Preston and Taylor McCabe, Logan, Lawson and Linley Dick, Kalison and Skylar Phillips, Jaylen Ferries and Clayton and Levi Hageman; two sisters, Joyce (Richard) Shindelar of Calmar, Iowa and Marcie (Larry) Havel of Osage, Iowa; three brothers, Cleo (Emily) Heying of Luana, Iowa, Richard (Linda) Heying of Ossian, Iowa and Donald (Carolyn) Heying of Calmar; and sisters-in-law, Elaine Heying of Calmar and Marion Heying of Sumner, Iowa.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Agnes (Bohr) Heying; husband, Stanley; daughter, Kathy (Alan) Taylor; great grandson, Braxton Humpal; father and mother-in-law, James and Christine (Phillips) Humpal; three brothers, Hugo (Lucille) Heying, Irvin Heying and Larry Heying; three sisters, Ruth (Ray) Langreck, Rosalyn (Eugene) Bodensteiner and Elsie (Donald) Timp; and brothers and sisters-in-law, William (Emma) Humpal, Adolph (Ludmilla) Humpal, Paul (Rose) Humpal, Rudy (Rita) Humpal and Robert Humpal.