Katherine Redlich (nee Rinenbach)

Katherine “Kay” Redlich (nee Rinenbach), 102, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, peacefully entered Heaven on Friday, April 21, 2023 at Promise House Assisted Living, Hiawatha, Iowa.

She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Matyas and Katalin Rinenbach, who had emigrated to the United States from Hungary. She was the youngest in the family, joining her sister Anna, who was twelve years older and her brother Joseph, who was eight years older than she. When she was eleven, she moved with her parents to South Bend, Indiana, where they founded and pastored a small Hungarian church. “Katie” became the church pianist, and liked to recall the time one of the congregants complimented her profusely about how well she played the Hungarian hymns, even though she didn’t speak Hungarian!

When she was 19, they moved back to Milwaukee returning to their former church, where Kay became reacquainted with Leonard Redlich. It wasn’t too long before a romance developed, and soon after that Len was drafted to serve in WWII… but before he left, he proposed, wanting an engagement ring on her finger to dissuade any other suitors, and to make sure she’d be there for him when he returned!

Kay worked for three years at Lakeside Medical Laboratories, and prior to that as a person-to-person long distance telephone operator. Len returned from Italy in September of 1945, and a month later they were married. He worked for International Harvester, and later Harley Davidson while Kay stayed home to raise their two children, care for her aging parents, and use her creative talents to cook and bake delicious foods, sew clothing for the family, crochet afghans, quilt, refinish furniture, and make hats. After her parents died, she spent a number of years volunteering for the American Red Cross as a driver, and later as Vice Chairman, then Chairman for Motor Services. She and Len had wonderful times traveling to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, throughout the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, and many countries in Europe.

Kay and Len always remained active in their church, now known as Poplar Creek Church, and both had a strong faith in God, and a trust in Jesus as their personal Savior. That faith carried them through some difficult times, especially the loss of their son Ron in 1979 when he was 27. After Len died in 2005, Kay continued to live in their home until 2017 when she was almost 96. She then moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to be near her daughter and son-in-law. She lived with them in their home for over 2 1/2 years, then moved to Promise House Assisted Living where she developed special friendships and received wonderful loving care for 3 1/2 years. She was characterized by a steadfast faith, perseverance, a grateful heart, and sincere loving concern for others. The old hymn “Make Me A Blessing” could well have been her theme song.

Kay is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Renee and Larry Pinkston; two grandsons, David of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Matthew and his wife Yoko of Yokohama, Japan and their 2 1/2-year-old son, Akira; sisters-in-law Esther Flaherty and Patricia Redlich; nieces, nephews, and special friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard; son, Ronald; granddaughter, Michelle Pinkston; siblings Martha Rinenbach, who died in Hungary at the age of two; Anna Befi and her husband, Joseph; Joseph Rinenbach and his wife, Katherine; sister-in-law, Dorothy Redlich; brothers-in-law Arnold Redlich and his wife Ella, Lester Flaherty, William Engl, and Harold Redlich; nieces Sharon Flaherty, Carol Duncan, and Karen Butske, other extended family members and numerous dear friends.

Visitation from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, with Service at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Burial at Wisconsin Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Poplar Creek Church in New Berlin, or the American Red Cross.