Kathryn Mae Ralston
November 11, 1925 - July 18, 2017

Kathryn Mae Ralston, 91, formerly of Tipton, died Tuesday, July 18, 2017 in her daughter's home in Boise, Idaho from complications of Alzheimer's. A public Rosary Service will be held at Fry Funeral Home, Tipton Iowa, on July 28th beginning at 3:30 p.m. with visitation following from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Funeral Services will be held on July 29th at 11:00 a.m. in St. Mary's Catholic Church, Tipton, Iowa with Rev. Fr. Richard Okumo officiating. An hour visitation will precede the services for those who could not visit on Friday. After services a luncheon will be served at the church parish hall followed by burial and concluding services in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Iowa City. In place of a memorial fund Kathryn's wishes were that her flowers be distributed to surrounding nursing homes and the elderly whom she served and loved. Online condolences may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com.
Kathryn, daughter of Frank and Augusta Peterson Stumpf, was born on November 11, 1925 in Fonda, Iowa. She graduated from Fonda-Calhoun OLGC School with the Class of 1943. Kathryn was united in marriage to John Karstens and later to John "Jack" Ralston, both of whom preceded her in death. Kathryn was a past member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City and later in Tipton until she relocated to live with her daughter, Marlene Harris, in Boise, Idaho. Kathryn owned the Utopia Nursing Home and was the nursing administrator at Thurston's Nursing Home, both located in Tipton. She went on to become a manager for Fanny Mays Candy Store in Davenport then relocated in St. Petersburg, Florida where she also spent part of her retirement years.
Kathryn is survived by her daughters, Marlene Harris of Boise, Idaho and Candace Coppola of Toms River, New Jersey; sons, John "Jack" (Lucy) Karstens of Pardeeville, Wisconsin and Patrick (Kelli) Ralston of Rochester, Iowa; brother, Paul (Shirley) Stumpf of Fonda, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her sister, Bernadine Lange and her brothers Robert Stumpf, John Stumpf, Francis Stumpf and Kenneth Stumpf.

Tributes