In Memory

Kathy Hogan

Kathy Hogan

Kathleen Marie Nepple passed away on February 9, 2005 at Mercy Hospice in Johnston. Kathleen Marie (Hogan) Nepple was born in Oklahoma City on November 14, 1947 to John and Vivian Hogan. Kathy was the youngest and only girl of the siblings, John and Jerry. She lived and attended schools in the Ft. Worth area for over 17 years. Her senior year in high school, the family moved to Kansas City where she graduated from Shawnee Mission High School. A year later, the family relocated again to Sioux City, Iowa, where Kathy enrolled at Morningside College. She was very active in Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and excelled academically.  As a freshman, she won the district honor of being crowned the 1966 Siouxland Beauty Queen as voted on by the Greek community and the popular music group, The Lettermans. During her second semester, she met and dated her future lifelong partner, Larry. Kathy and Larry were married at Immaculate Conception Church in Sioux City on July 1, 1967 by Monsignor Frank Brady, a family friend and confidant. Within ten days of this event, Larry was drafted and eventually sent to Germany for a tour of duty. Kathy sold everything and moved to Germany in February 1968, where she worked on the army base doing computer key punch operations. They returned to the US in June 1969 where Larry went to work for Maytag Corporation. This was the beginning of a long list of relocations for Kathy that would evolve over the next 35 years. From Colfax, Iowa, to Fairfield, Iowa, to Lawton, Oklahoma, to Northern Virginia, to Dallas, Texas, to Indianapolis, Indiana, back to Dallas, Texas, and on to their final move to Ankeny, Iowa in 2001. She was always excited by each move and saw it as a new adventure with opportunity to see and do new things and meet new people. She is survived by her husband, Larry Nepple and her four children, Brady of Winter Park, Florida, Robert of Dallas, Texas, Kari Zdanowski of Bristow, Virginia, and Julie Nepple of Indianapolis, Indiana. She has three grandchildren, Haley, Tyler and Rylee and two brothers, John of Tyler, Texas, and Jerry of Ft. Worth, Texas. Besides nurturing and caring for four children of her own, Kathy held numerous jobs outside the home. She was an executive administrative assistant in the medical and accounting fields. Her attention to details, organization skills, intelligence, quick mind, outgoing personality and very strong backbone quickly gained the respect and admiration of others. She also was an active member of the Beta Sigma Pi women's sorority throughout her life and held numerous officer positions. She treasured the many friendships she established throughout the years in various parts of the country. She enjoyed playing and reading to her grandchildren, visiting her family and friends, talking on the telephone and playing cards and board games. In addition to all these activities, she opened her heart and the family door to eight other children who were in need. She was always sympathetic to the problems facing her children's friends and provided love, direction and substance to their troubled lives. Her commitment to God, her family and her beliefs and principles where always her top priorities in life. They gave her great nourishment and direction during difficult times and great joy during the good times.