Kathleen "Katie" Anne Scheel

Kathleen “Katie” Scheel was a beautiful wife, devoted mother, and cherished grandmother, among the many roles she carried with quiet strength and grace throughout her life. A woman of deep integrity, unwavering faith, and boundless kindness, Katie lived her values rather than simply speaking them. Her love was steady, her compassion sincere, and her actions, always thoughtful and selfless, spoke far louder than words ever could.

Kathleen Anne Scheel was born on May 17, 1970, to James and Helen (Puncochar) Severns in New Prague, MN. She was raised on her family’s farm in Montgomery and attended Holy Redeemer School and Montgomery High School. She met Daniel Scheel; someone who didn’t quite win her over at first, but whose humor and heart soon did. On October 27, 1989, they were united in marriage at Holy Redeemer Church in Montgomery. Together, they made Montgomery their home, where they raised their two children and built a life rooted in love and devotion.

Katie loved her home and found her greatest happiness there, surrounded by those she loved most. “Everything was better at home,” Katie would often say; and she meant it. She showed that belief through her love of cooking and baking for her family, whether it was homemade pizza or her own take on a favorite ice cream blizzard, always made with a little extra love. Each year, she gathered her family to bake her cherished kolacky recipe, a tradition spanning four generations, and entering the Kolacky Days baking contest. Her vegetable garden was her pride and joy and her place of peace; even on sweltering 100-degree days, when the bugs seemed big enough to carry her off. She took great pride each year in canning her homegrown vegetables, lovingly preserving them to be shared around the kitchen table throughout the year. While she had an undeniable gift for growing a flourishing garden, her attempts at keeping houseplants alive were met with far less success; a reality that became a quiet family joke. Katie delighted in feeding the birds and squirrels that visited her yard. Her birdfeeders were always full, and the squirrels eagerly awaited the peanuts she provided. On the rare days a feeder ran dry, the bluebirds would gather outside her window, patiently “chatting” to her until she filled it again.

Katie was a woman who wore her heart on her sleeve, always thinking of others before herself. She showed her kindness in many ways from growing her hair to donate to Locks of Love and giving blood so often to the American Red Cross that she nearly earned her 10-gallon pin. She worked hard throughout her life, as a janitor at Holy Redeemer Catholic School and cleaning homes, often forming bonds with her clients that were as meaningful as the homes she tended.

Katie passed away peacefully at home with her loving family by her side on January 30, 2026. Katie was always a source of strength in her home and home was the place she cherished the most. She will always be remembered as the "salt of the earth" to her family and her memory will forever live on in the warmth that surrounds us each and every day.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Dan; children, Nicole Scheel and Dan (Julie) Scheel; grandchildren, Leelynn, Lylah, Ella, and Olivia; siblings, Donnie Severns, Mike Severns, and Mary (Vic) Braith; in-laws, Denise (Tony) Smisek, Rodney (Shannon) Scheel, and Bonnie Aebly; along with nieces, nephews and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Tom Severns; niece, Tanya Westphal; and nephews, Larry Clough and Kevin Hinderscheit.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery, MN; Fr Timothy Sandquist will officiate. Katie’s family will greet guests at a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery.