IRONWOOD, Mich. -- Kathleen Marie Richie, 65, of E5227 Jackson Road, Ironwood, died on Saturday, July 17, 2010, at home.

Kathleen was born on Feb. 26, 1945, daughter of the late Dr. Florian and Kay Santini. She attended St. Ambrose Grade School and graduated from St. Ambrose High School in 1962. In 1966, she graduated from Edgewood College in Madison, Wis. She furthered her education at the University of Wisconsin-Superior and earned a master's degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette in 1996.

In June of 1966, Kathleen married her favorite Hurley, Wis., boy and love of her life, William Francis Richie. She is the mother of two daughters, Amie Caroline Richie and Lisa Michele Quenan and the grandmother of four: Alexander, Madeline and Francesca Quenan and Clover Crockett.

Before moving to Ironwood in 1950, Kathleen's early life took her from naval base to naval base during her father's World War II service. Her married life followed a similar pattern, following her husband's work in Baldwin, Shell Lake, St. Germain and Grafton, Wis., and Pollock Pines, Calif., before returning home to Ironwood in retirement.

Kathleen loved books and reading and worked in public and school libraries along the way, as well as teaching at a technical college and running a home office for her husband. Besides books, Kathleen loved gardening, walking, hand work, crafts, cooking and baking, always looking for that perfect chocolate cake or pan of brownies.

Besides her husband, daughters and grandchildren, Kathleen is survived by her sons-in-law Robert Crockett and Patrick Quenan; one brother, Dr. Marc Santini; four sisters, Felicia, Jeanean, Angela and Melissa Santini; and brothers-in-law, nieces and a nephew.

Her parents and two sisters, Teresa and Lois, preceded her in death.

Out of respect for Kathleen's wishes, cremation has taken place.

A visitation service will be held on Wednesday, July 21, at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., Ironwood, from 3 to 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Kathleen requests that any memorial gifts go to either the Caring Department of Grand View Hospital or the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1400, New York NY 10122.

To view Kathleen's obituary online, sign the guestbook or express condolences, visit www.mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.