Kathleen “Kit” Dunn
Kathleen “Kit” Dunn, 101, of Bedford, Texas passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.
Visitation was Tuesday, Sept. 3, at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home, Colleyville, Texas.
Funeral services were Wednesday, Sept. 4, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Colleyville, Texas.
Kathleen Helen Kuempel was born on March 29, 1923, in a small river town in Northeast Iowa to John T. Kuempel and Hildegarde (Lake) Kuempel. Guttenberg was home, nestled among the bluffs and hardwood forests along the Mississippi River. She and her five younger siblings, Jim, Bob, Clara Mae, Bernice and Tom, of which she is the only surviving member, lived a carefree life in a close-knit community along the river. She grew up surrounded by a wealth of loving and extended family members.
After graduating from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Guttenberg, she enrolled in the Nursing Program at the University of Iowa where she specialized in Ophthalmology nursing. She became one of the youngest nurses to be an acting Director of Nursing in her field at the time.
One weekend she agreed to go on a blind date with a handsome Naval Air student. That blind date took hold and when Lt. Albert C. Dunn returned from the South Pacific Theater their relationship flowered.
Married Aug. 10, 1946, they started their life together in Louisville, Ky. After their first-born, David, arrived they moved to Indianapolis, Ind., Al’s hometown. There they raised five more girls Kathleen, Alice, Anita, Paula (died at age 18) and Melissa. In 1965, the Dunn family moved to Texas where in later years the girls all met and married Texans. Kit was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Parish and, later, St. Michael Catholic Church in Bedford, Texas.
Kathleen, or Kit as she was known, was the Art Teacher at St. John Catholic Pre-school for 19 years. In addition, she was an active member of St. John and St. Michael Craft Clubs, served as President of various Garden Clubs, and was a member of the Community Arts Guild. She served as President of the TCCC Senior Program for two years and enjoyed taking courses at TCCC for many years.
Together Al and Kit traveled as much as they could. After Al’s passing , Kit took up travelling again and visited every continent except Antarctica. At last count, she had visited 34 countries. She was a talented artist and came from a long line of gifted ancestors who applied their talents in many forms. That gene has passed on to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Art teachers, ceramicist, metal sculpturers, woodworkers, glass artists and painters-all of whom practice their talents today.
Kit is survived by her children, Dave (Jane), Kathleen Abbott (Doug), Alice Buchanan (Mike), Anita Taraba (Gary) and Melissa Atkins (John); grandchildren; great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Helene Kuempel, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family members.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to The Discalced Carmelite Nuns, 5801 Mount Carmel Dr., Arlington, Texas 76017 or to The Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, 909 W. Shaw St., Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
