Kathryn June Koebensky Lundsten
life had its challenges in the Iron Range of Minnesota,
and Kathryn June Koebensky lived life well there,
Polish, Finnish, and Swedish stock contributed their gifts to her,
Kate was a woman of strong intelligence with a love of music,
at Northland College she was a vocal music major,
and her singing in the college choir became an avenue
for her to meet Lorman Lundsten, the love of her life,
they always appreciated each other’s intellect and voice,
and loved it when one could make the other laugh,
her growing-up in Virginia, Minnesota, was a time
of not much money but a wealth of family,
her strong will always worked for her,
and sometimes against her,
she endured when physical challenges pulled hard at her self-assurance,
sapped her energy and her wherewithal
and led her to retire in her early fifties,
Kate was a woman of strong opinions
who always knew what she wanted,
when she heard a grandchild would arrive,
she announced:
“God does answer the prayers of little old ladies,”
she loved antiques,
particularly those marked as “Made In Occupied Japan”—
figurines, collectibles,
Betsy and Abby sent out to scout flea markets for items she might like,
her antique shop a love for as long as she could maintain it,
when Lorman was teaching in the late afternoon,
sometimes Kate would drive home, honk the car for Abby,
and they’d go out for pizza, pizza which Lorman didn’t like,
Kate was generous, loving, and devoted
to husband, children, and grandchildren,
she persevered through physical challenge after challenge,
and then mental challenges added their obstacles to her living life fully,
dementia a further insult to her wholeness,
we can all wish that life had been easier on her,
the best any of us can wish is to do as well as she did
with a good heart, a quick mind, and a love of the joy in a laugh.
by Henry H. Walker
March 25, ’16
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