Catherine “Katie” Lingl,
Catherine “Katie” Lingl, age 94, of Olivia, MN passed away on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at the Olivia Hospital surrounded by her family after having suffered a severe stroke on Monday, May 16, 2022 while working with her flower beds. Mass of Christian burial will be on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Olivia with Rev. Joe Steinbeisser as celebrant. Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Bird Island. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 31, from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Olivia and will continue for one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at the church. Memorials are preferred to St. Mary’s Catholic School in Bird Island, Renville County Hospice, and Choices Pregnancy Center in Redwood Falls. Arrangements are with Dirks-Blem Funeral Service of Olivia.
Catherine Louise Marie Lingl was born on October 14, 1927 to William and Theresa Rose (Brey) Gass in Bird Island, MN. She was baptized, confirmed, and received her First Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bird Island. She graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic High School in 1945. On July 3, 1946, Catherine “Katie” was united in marriage to Raymond “Shorty” Lingl at St. Mary’s in Bird Island. In March of 1947, Shorty and Katie moved to their farm site north of Olivia where Katie was still residing. Katie was a full time house wife, working side by side with Shorty doing chores (cattle, pigs, chickens), driving tractors, and planting big vegetable and flower gardens. She also worked part-time at the Olivia Canning Company, Mary’s Furniture in Willmar, Balcer’s Hardware, and Quality Seeds in Olivia. She was a lifelong member of the VFW Auxillary, CCW, and choir member at St. Aloysius for many years. She enjoyed collecting plates, beanie babies, and crocheted many afgans and baby christening gowns for her grandchildren, singing with Sweet Adelines, and journaling.
She loved to bake and ALL of her family members and many of her friends around town were recipients of her homemade cinnamon rolls, buns, prune kolaches and chocolate chip cookies. She was still canning peaches and pears, which her great-grandchildren labeled as special ‘candy.’ We feel her greatest hobby was her flower gardens. She really had an eye for design and turned the family farm site into a park where many family gatherings were held. Her faith in God was most important, then her family time. She rarely missed an athletic event, choir concert, or play of her grandchildren, then great-grandchildren.
In her later years, her ministry was visiting nursing homes and calling relatives and friends, especially those living alone to check on them and make sure they were okay. Her singing birthday calls to family and friends were the BEST. She was a TRUE friend to many; always finding time to listen and give advice when asked. She had an amazing relationship with her grandchildren.
Catherine is survived by her children: Carol Ann (Larry) Frank of Redwood Falls, Jeffrey Raymond of Olivia, and Susan Catherine (Dennis) Kringen of Willmar; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; sister, Marlys (Dick) Nelson of Rochester; brother, William (Eileen) Gass Jr. of Bird Island; and special friend, Gordy Krause of Olivia. Catherine was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Shorty in 2005; sister, Mary Ann Lingl Chladek in 2021; brothers-in-law, Florian Lingl in 1973 and James Chladek in 1996.
Blessed Be Her Memory
