Obituary for Kathleen A. Vanderheyden

Kathleen Ann (Clark) Vanderheyden

85, of Osseo MN, passed away on February 15, 2020. Born March 10, 1934 in Askeaton, WI she was the daughter of John and Lillian Clark.Kate overcame childhood polio with a spirit of determination that stayed with her always.She worked in insurance for two years after high school in Green Bay, then left to marry her high school sweetheart, Jim-in Germany in 1954 while he was in the service.Their first child was born there, followed by seven more children over the next ten years in the US.Kate worked in the Title 1 Program with elementary students in the Osseo District as well as finishing her Associates Degree, all while raising her own eight children!She may have been the smallest in the family, but she was always boss.JKate and Jim volunteered in the food shelf at Sharing and Caring Hands for over 20 years each Tuesday.Over the last 15 years they both started Tanzania Life Project, a mission serving poor villages in Africa with deep water wells and improved human rights.They were married for 65 beautiful years.Kate was an inspiration to all who knew her and quietly moved mountains through prayer.She is deeply loved and will be dearly missed. We will stand on her shoulders of faith going forward.Kate is survived by her husband, Jim, children Mike (Carlyn), Catherine Trescony (Paul), Peter (Nannette), John (Mary), Jean McGinty (Mike), Dan (Julie), Lisa (Lisa Ness), Tom (Debbie), siblings Don Clark (Joan), Monica Penza, 27 beloved grandchildren and 40 beloved great-grandchildren as well as countless in-laws, nieces and nephews. Thank you to the loving staff of North Memorial Hospice for their part in Kate’s journey. Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM Thursday, February 20, 2020 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 9100 93^rd Ave. N., Brooklyn Park, with visitation starting at 9 AM, followed by luncheon in Regan Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Tanzania Life Project, tanzanialifeproject.org. or send to 12 -6^th St. NE #108, Osseo, MN 55369