Kathryn Jean Wolff

** A memorial service to celebrate Kathie's life will be held Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Chicago West Side Christian School - 1240 South Pulaski, Chicago, IL 60623.  The service will be outside and a meal outside will follow. **

Kathryn (Kathie) Jean Wolff (Elzinga) was born on January 16, 1953 to Albert and Martha Elzinga. She spent her childhood driving tractors on the family farm in Dyer, Indiana. Kathie attended Calvin College, earned her RN from the Blodgett Memorial School of Nursing in Grand Rapids, Michigan and later her BSN from University of Illinois at Chicago. In 1975 she married James (Jim) Wolff and after his graduation from seminary they moved to Chicago, Illinois. Since 1981 she and Jim have served at Lawndale Christian Reformed Church (LCRC) and Chicago West Side Christian School (CWSCS) in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago.

This hard-working farm girl dedicated her life to the city and her neighbors. Kathie was a woman of many talents whose seemingly unending amount of energy enabled her to tackle anything she set her mind to doing. During her nursing career she worked in pediatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, coordinated the care of elderly patients in their homes, and supported college students at Trinity Christian College. While her training was in nursing most of her vocation has been invested in the growth and day-to-day functioning of Chicago West Side Christian School (CWSCS). Kathie did any job that needed to be done, whether that was mopping the gym floor after a roof leak, picking up trash outside the school, or setting traps for rats or night dumpers. She regularly worked alongside volunteer groups who served at CWSCS. The school building that stands today at 1240 South Pulaski Road exists in part due to her persistence, tenacity, and perseverance. Kathie’s gift of hospitality and making places shine led many students to believe that it was “Ms. Wolff’s building.” Kathie loved landscaping and took particular pride in cultivating the trees and gardens on the grounds. She worked at CWSCS coordinating janitorial work, supporting the office staff, and tackling any odd job that needed doing right up until her cancer diagnosis in October 2020.

Kathie and Jim raised three daughters on Chicago’s west side, Kara Wolff (Jeffrey Swigart), Annaliese Wolff (Jake Cusack), Laura Wolff (Adam Claus). She also deeply loved her relationship with her bonus daughter Samantha Moore-Sykes, her husband Samori, and their daughter Samone. Her daughters will remember her as both a mother and a friend. In addition to raising them she cultivated loving relationships with each of them as adults. Her gifts of hospitality and service blessed their homes and families. Her easy-going spirit resulted in spontaneous 10-minutes-to-close shopping trips to Carson’s, craigslist furniture hunts across the city, regular gardening and construction projects, and lots of window washing. She was always up for an adventure whether it be a trip to Home Depot or a flight to Paris. She gave her love and her time freely.

Kathie has been particularly invested in the lives of her grandchildren, Rowan (10), Everly Kathryn (8), and Juniper (5) Wolff and Ruby (5), Elliot (3), and Gabriel (1) Wolff-Claus. Her newest grandchild, Baby Wolff-Cusack will arrive in May 2021. She was present at the births of most of her grandchildren (only missing Gabriel’s by a few minutes!). Being a grandmother was perhaps her greatest joy and pride in life. She was another parent in their homes and is remembered by them as Mimi, always ready to laugh with them, feed them, drive them to swimming lessons, and give them her complete attention. She was devoted to each and offered them her unconditional love.

The Lawndale Christian Reformed Church (LCRC) community impacted Kathie’s life for almost 40 years. Coming from a farm in Indiana Kathie embraced the culture and place of North Lawndale making it her home. As first-lady of Lawndale CRC Kathie has been a non-traditional pastor’s wife- much happier to be cleaning a kitchen rather than in front of a church service. This willingness to serve others has endeared her to many. She was also someone whose openness to life helped her to cultivate a rich set of friendships across racial, religious, and economic divides. She made you feel welcome, that you belonged. In many ways her gift of hospitality was a reflection of how she understood the call of Jesus on her life. Serving others with a willing spirit brought her great joy and satisfaction.

Kathie and Jim loved traveling and seeing new parts of the world. This began early in their marriage when they spent a summer working in Yellowstone National Park. She was a staff nurse in the park’s clinic and Jim served with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. Kathie spent the summer treating bison gorings and fishing lure injuries. Travel has always been an important part of their life and relationship. In addition to lots of national parks she and Jim have ventured to parts of Europe, Greece, Honduras, South Africa, Israel, and Turkey. During the last decade she particularly enjoyed their annual trip to Montana exploring Glacier National Park and hiking the mountains with her children and grandchildren. She never stopped wanting to explore more of God’s creation throughout the world.

How do we tell the story of a life so well lived and a death so gracefully faced? To have known Kathie is to have been deeply blessed and for that we are grateful. Our grief can only be matched by the joy of having been loved by her in this life. She showed us how we can live more fully, with more joy, and with a constant sense of curiosity and adventure. She showed us how we can give ourselves to others and require nothing in return.

We thank the Lord for giving us this love through her.

Kathie leaves behind a host of friends and family whom she loved including her husband, children, and grandchildren, her siblings Tom (Beverly) Elzinga, Mary (Tom) Smith, Tim (Lynne) Elzinga, Jane (David) Martin, and Julie (James) Dees, her siblings-in-law Donna (Gary) Dykstra, Michael (Mary) Wolff, many nieces and nephews, the Lawndale CRC family, and her co-workers at CWSCS.

Due to COVID-19 the family will be doing a private burial.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Chicago West Side Christian School’s Kathryn Jean Wolff Scholarship Fund or The Beautification Fund using this link: Chicago West Side Christian School Donations