Katharine Sue Mulder Ankeny passed away at home on July 1, 2017 after a tooth and nail fight against Colon Cancer. 

She is survived by husband Lee Ankeny, children Emily and Tristan, mother Velma Mulder, siblings Nancy Roush, Jody Bergland (Bob) and Bill Mulder Jr. (Amy), as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. She is preceded in death by her father Bill Mulder. 

Born on June 23rd, 1959 in Mason City, Iowa Kathy’s early childhood involved moving around the country following her father’s sales career with International Harvester. Settling in Bettendorf Iowa for high school, Kathy proudly lettered in swimming and began her lifelong love affair with tomatoes, which led to and even more intense relationship with salsa.

 

She attended Iowa State University, continued swimming and got her Bachelors of Arts in Political Science with a teaching certificate. She also met this cute guy on a ski trip in Colorado and decided he was nice enough to keep around for 36 years. Kathy and Lee were married in Davenport, Iowa during a blizzard on December 28th, 1981. They eventually settled down in Los Alamos, New Mexico and raised two swell kids together. 

Kathy thoroughly enjoyed the great outdoors and made sure the whole family participated in skiing, sailing, rock climbing, kayaking, and camping to name a few favorites. She was a talented quilt maker and in the past couple of years really got into jewelry making. She had many jobs over the years but was most recently the manager of the Los Alamos Historical Society bookstore which was perfect as it combined her love of books and history as well as her exemplary skill in chatting up strangers.

Travel was also a passion for Kathy and she enjoyed researching the hell out of a location so when actually there she knew all the options and highlights, always ready with a plan. She was also by far the best snack planner. Every canoe or camping trip she’d miraculously whip out a new and unexpected treat that would sooth the hungry and energize the drained. 

Kathy will be loved and deeply missed for her feisty attitude, witty sense of humor, independent nature, sassy eye rolls and adventurous spirit.

Kathy has chosen to be cremated and have her ashes scattered around the world so she can check some places off her list. A private get together will be held for family and friends. In lieu of flowers or donations we ask that you put globs of tomato paste on the crust of your pizza, get your face messy with some bbq ribs, eat salsa at every opportunity, collect a few too many salad dressings in your fridge or grab a book and a glass of Merlot and head outside to read in the sun.

 

The family of Katharine Sue Mulder Ankeny has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Espanola Valley. 505.747.7477 www.devargasfuneral.com.