Katherine Louise Matthews

October 23, 1944 - August 5, 2021

Katherine (Kathy) Matthews of St. Charles, IL passed away August 5, 2021 at age 76 after a short but fierce battle with cancer.

Kathy was born Katherine Louise Kahler on October 23, 1944 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated from Bergan High School in Peoria, Illinois in 1962.  She attended Rosary College (now Dominican University), graduating in 1966 with a degree in Mathematics. As part of a generation of women for whom career options were limited, Kathy always attributed her confidence (and wry sense of humor) to her father, who impressed on his daughters that they could be anything they strove to be. 

Kathy went on to work for Western Electric/Lucent Technologies.  While there, she was “set up” on a blind date with another Western Electric employee, Thomas Matthews, whom she married in 1968. They were married for 45 years, until Tom’s death in 2013.  They were proud parents of daughter Sarah Elizabeth, and doting grandparents of Cirenya and Edwyn.

Kathy and Tom moved to Westmont, and later built a home in St. Charles, where they moved in 1970.  Kathy quickly became active in the St. Charles community, serving in many spheres from St. Charles East Music Boosters to the Pottawatomie Garden Club and Delnor Hospital, and especially at St. Patrick Church where she was a member for 51 years.

Kathy loved to teach, whether it was substitute math in St. Charles schools, early childhood at Lily Lake Elementary, ten years teaching religious education at St. Pat’s, or leading national seminars and workshops on topics from fundraising to judging needlepoint.

Her organizational skills and love for youth came together powerfully when she accepted an invitation to volunteer-manage the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra in 1999.  Over the next 17 years, as Executive Director, she helped nurture a small EYSO of 65 kids into a nationally-recognized program serving thousands of young musicians and their families.  Her restless imagination and possibility-thinking sparked many innovative ideas, including the Maud Powell String Quartet, the Sterling Brass Quintet, the Chamber Music Institute, and the 2006 concert tour to the International Youth Arts Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland where the EYSO Youth Symphony was a main stage feature. 

In 2016 Kathy was honored at the YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon Awards for her legacy in youth arts in the Fox Valley. She also served on the boards of the Illinois Council of Orchestras and the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame.  Her passion for education, community engagement, and empowering women translated into leadership roles with multiple civic and international organizations including Altrusa International and P.E.O. Sisterhood International (JG Chapter).

Besides the EYSO, Kathy’s other great passion was the art of needlepoint, both historic and contemporary. She was a lifelong member of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA) and the American Needlepoint Guild (ANG), where she was active both nationally and in the local Fox Chapter, where she served in multiple offices including several times as president.  Kathy was known as a passionate and exacting teacher of ANG judging workshops and served as a national judge herself, attaining the highest level of Senior Master Judge (one of only two in the nation). 

Kathy’s love for needlepoint arts inspired trips to the British Isles, where she visited exclusive needlework museums and The Royal School of Needlework in London, and participated in specialized needlepoint classes. She loved to share these experiences upon return, pouring out her excitement and wealth of knowledge in lectures and presentations in the U.S.

Kathy will be vividly remembered by all who knew her for her distinctive laugh and twinkling eyes, her relentless energy, and her indomitable “of course we can” spirit.  A lifelong learner, she was forever curious about nearly everything including dogs (especially Boxers, her passion), books, Fox Valley history, classical music, and anything related to Mary Queen of Scots, about whom she was something of an armchair expert.  Mostly, though, she will be remembered as a trustworthy, loyal friend who would drop everything at a moment’s notice to help someone in need.

Kathy is survived by her daughter Sarah Matthews Jacobs, son-in-law Trent Jacobs, and grandchildren Cirenya and Edwyn Jacobs.  She is also survived by her beloved niece, Dr. Colleen Mary Noe, sister Marty Kahler Van Ness (Ronald James Long), nieces Nora Van Ness Babb, and Nina Van Ness Gemkow (Alex), brother-in-law Mike (Sue) Matthews, sister-in-law Pat Calvert and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents James and Margaret Kahler, husband Tom, sister Mary Jane “Janey” Kelly, brother-in-law Jim Kelly, nephew Jim “Jimmy” Kelly, and brother-in-law Fred Matthews.  She is also survived by hundreds of friends, young and old, who were blessed by her many gifts and her love for all.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, August 10, 2021 from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.  at Moss-Norris Funeral Home, 100 S. 3^rd Street, St. Charles, Illinois, including a prayer service with music between 7:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.  A funeral Mass will be Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 6N487 Crane Rd. St. Charles, IL 60175. Preceding the Funeral at 9:30am will be a short prayer service and Last Respects at Moss Funeral Home, followed by a procession to the church.  A musical prelude by an “Orchestra of Friends” will begin at 10:00 A.M. in the sanctuary.  Following the Funeral Mass, the Service of Interment will be at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Geneva.

Memorial donations may be made to P.E.O. International, Chapter JG, and mailed to Karen Lemcke, 851 Dakota Dr. Woodstock, IL 60098.  Donations will be forwarded on to the PEO Program for Continuing Education, which provides need-based educational grants for women.