Katherine Ebbes Rohaly

Katherine Maria Ebbes was born in Sennelager/Paderborn in North Rhine Westphalia, Germany, on August 5, 1933. Her close-knit family endured separation and deprivation during World War II, and its bombing raids destroyed 85 percent of her city. Her husband, William Rohaly, had been a pen-pal before he was stationed in Germany during the Korean Conflict; they arranged a meeting and soon fell in love. They were married on November 17, 1956, in Chicago. Kate lived most of her adult life in Sauk Village, Illinois, where she was instrumental in the founding of a public library. She was active in her parish, St. James Catholic Church, as a leader of song, a choir member, a Eucharistic minister, a school librarian, and a performer in the yearly “Moments of Memories” variety show. She raised five children and managed to make the many jobs assigned to her look much easier than they were; among many talents, she was an expert knitter, quilter, seamstress, chef, baker, tutor, and gardener. When her children were grown she attended Mundelein College with a major in English and a minor in Religious Studies; she graduated Cum Laude and was a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society. She spoke and wrote both English and German, and she loved both reading and writing. She authored a play that was performed at Governor’s State University. For several years she was a member of the Sweet Adelines show choir. She also taught German to young people. She traveled widely and saw forty-two of the fifty states, along with Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, England, Canada and Mexico. After raising their children, she and her husband moved to Crete, Illinois, where he still resides. Kate is survived by her husband, William; her children, Bill Rohaly (Ann), Claudia Rohaly, Christopher Rohaly (Cindy), Linda Rohaly (Kevin Connolly), and Julia Rohaly Buckley (Jeff); her grandchildren, Matthew Rohaly (Annette), Billy Rohaly, Anna Marrah (Josh), Kate Connolly, MaryKatherine (Cashie) Rohaly, Ian Buckley, Thomas Rohaly, Daniel Connolly, Joseph Rohaly, Graham Buckley, and Pamela Connolly; and her great-grandchildren, Henry Rohaly and Nathan Marrah. In Germany she is survived by her brothers Ferdinand and Hermann Joseph, and her sister Marianne. She is preceded in death by her children Michael, Anita, and David Rohaly; her parents, Josef and Maria Ebbes, and her sister, Lizabeth. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the National Aphasia Association. www.aphasia.org/donate