Obituary of Kathleen Mae Sickenberger

Kathleen Mae Sickenberger passed away on February 25, 2013 of pneumonia in Fairfax, Virginia. Kathleen Mae Sickenberger was born January 13, 1929 in Genoa Colorado to Hiram C. Holst and Neola Mae Holst who came from a family of Quakers in Kansas and travelled to Colorado in a covered wagon! Kathleen was the youngest of three girls and she and her two older sisters Norma and Ellen helped the family in the post depression years raising chickens and helping in their fathers' entrepreneurial endeavors - gas stations and grain storage. She survived an outbreak of scarlet fever which claimed the life of her best friend when she was 8. Kathleen was an excellent student and loved to learn. She was one of 8 students in the senior class of 1946 to graduate from Genoa High School in Colorado. Kathleen wanted to teach and travel, and travel she did….. Kathleen was a gifted pianist and composer. She played the piano to help pay her tuition at more than six colleges she attended in Colorado, Texas and California. Earning her Bachelor's degree in education from San Francisco State in California in 1952, she went on to get her teaching certificate in 1954. That certificate was what she used to start her travels around the globe. Kathy taught migrant farmers' children in a desolate part of Texas and then took off for Washington DC. She attended President Eisenhower's inauguration and worked at a government security agency. From there she sailed off to teach elementary students at a private school in Peru. She then moved on to teach school in Munich, Germany. Thousands of miles and an ocean away from her home state of Colorado - she met a kindred spirit - a small town Colorado guy who was a jet pilot. His name was Lt. William L. Sickenberger and she married him in an Air Force chapel in Furstenfeldbrook Germany on October 5,1957. Next thing they knew, they were sending telegrams (remember those?) to folks in Colorado announcing the birth of their first daughter Gail. After moving to France and then England, Bill, a son was born. She managed 24 household moves spanning several continents during husband Bill's career in the Air Force and lived in Germany, France, England, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Panama, Nebraska , Arizona, Florida, Brazil and South Carolina. She held down the fort as husband Bill went on numerous Temporary Duty assignments, fought in wars and travelled to faraway countries. Kathy finally landed in Reston, Virginia where she has spent the last twenty-seven years. She was a life- long travel partner for her husband on trips to Egypt, China and Africa as well as numerous trips to Europe, Scandinavia, Caribbean and Europe. Kathy is remembered by those who knew her as a gifted teacher, skilled seamstress, talented pianist, composer, a wonderful cook. Kathy always loved a party - whether she was attending or hosting!!! She never missed a chance to connect with friends and family alike by making phone calls or writing letters! Her Christmas card list took up several pages and spanned the globe. Although Kathy didn't play sports, she was an enthusiastic fan of football, tennis and golf. She had an amazing memory and enjoyed playing Mahjong and Bridge. She showed her competitive spirit playing and winning Bridge games with a group of close friends in Reston. Kathy loved games of any kind and enjoyed winning games of any kind. She was a legend in the family football pool with players spread across the US! Most notably, she was a loving and committed wife, mother and grandma to her grandchildren, Ellen, Will, Emily and Lauren. She set an amazing example of a loving, committed, fifty-five year marriage through thick and thin for all who knew her. She inspired many nieces, nephews and friends with her adventurous spirit and enthusiasm for travel. She taught us all the value of friendship and family. She taught us to care for others in our families, neighborhoods and communities. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten. Arrangements for her burial at Arlington National Cemetery are pending. Yet to be scheduled memorial services will be held in the Denver area of Colorado and Reston, Virginia. In Lieu of Flowers Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF) 360 W. Schick Rd., Suite 23 #211 Bloomingdale, IL 60108 They also accept donations at: http://www.cncfhope.org/ The Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF) and, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer 333 E. Lancaster Ave., #414 Wynnewood, PA 19096 They also accept donations at: http://www.alexslemonade.org