Kathleen Fena

Kathleen Marie (Kaim) Fena


Kathleen Marie (Kay) Fena, with her rosary in hand, died Sunday morning June 7, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth.  She was 88.  Surrounded by her family, it was noted she would get to heaven just in time for 10 am mass.

Kay said she wanted to be remembered for loving her family.  Throughout her life, she was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and aunt.  She was born to Joseph and Agnes (McCabe) Kaim at home on December 26, 1926, after a family Christmas celebration in Hibbing.  She was the fourth of five children in her German-Irish home.  Kay attended the Assumption Hall School through 8th grade and graduated from Hibbing High School in 1944.  She completed a Secretarial Certificate at Hibbing Community College.

As a young woman, Kay worked for M.A. Hanna Mining Company and the Mesaba Clinic where she met Jack, the love of her life.  They were married on Valentine’s Day, 1949, at Blessed Sacrament Church where they were both life-long members.  Soon after, as newlyweds, they moved to South Bend, Indiana, where Jack completed law school.  By the time they moved back to Hibbing in 1952, Kay was pregnant with her third baby and her real career was well underway.  Before long, there were 10 children and nearly 40 years of child rearing had commenced.

Kay will be remembered for her optimism and her rosary, her prayers to St. Anthony, her do-it-yourself determination, her patience, and the show-stopping quality of her family feasts.  She was generous, kind, and creative and often referred to by those who knew her as “a saint.”  She could do anything from taking her washing machine apart (instead of calling an expensive repair man) to canning sugo and antipasto by the roaster-full and teaching all her kids to do it too.   Kay loved to collect glassware and antiques unearthed at second-hand shops.  She made sure her daughters could sew and that her sons were altar boys.  In 1978, she even opened a Ben Franklin Store in downtown Hibbing and managed it for 4 years.  Kay said that she had the most fun during the family’s summers at the lake.  She enjoyed watching her kids play and learn about the natural world as if she was doing it herself.

She was similarly devoted to her husband, Jack, whose career as an attorney, judge and legislator required her support and her dedication to maintaining family life while he worked long days and weeks.  She spent several years taking care of Jack following his  stroke.  Together, they moved into the Duluth Benedictine health care facilities in 2005 where Kay could attend mass daily and be closer to family.  Jack and Kay celebrated their 61st Anniversary in 2010, a few months before he died.

She was a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish, American Legion Post 452 Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars #8510 Auxiliary and Benedictine Health Center Women’s Auxiliary.

Kay was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Fena, by her parents, and by her siblings, James Kaim of Hibbing, Margaret Tofalo of McLean, VA, Veronica Posner of Des Moines, IA, and Mary Joan Brown of Akron OH.

She will be deeply missed by those who survive her, including her sons James (Sandy) of Hibbing, Christopher (Julie Golden) of Stillwater, Peter, Bart and Andrew (Libby) of Duluth; daughters Lynn (Jerry Bakke), Susan (Lee Holte), and Sally of Duluth, Margaret (Bill Coldwell) of Excelsior, and MaryAnn (David Benke) of St. Paul; She was very proud of her thirteen grandchildren: Jodi Hanna, Jessica Koland and Jennifer Fena; Joseph Hardesty; Katie and Andrew Coldwell; Kemin Fena; Holly, Jack and Alex Fena; Benjamin, River and Forest Fena; five great-grandchildren: Addie, Lexi and Bella Hanna, and Kenedi and Kash Koland and many beloved neices and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at Noon on Thursday, June 11, 2015 in the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr. Gabriel Waweru celebrating the Mass.  Visitation will be in Church for one hour prior to Mass.  Private burial will be held in the Chisholm Cemetery

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