Kathleen Ogle Ronnebaum, 69, of Baileyville, Kansas passed away Tuesday afternoon, May 7, 2019 at the family farm home, northwest of St. Benedict. Kathleen (Kate) suffered from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) since early 2016.

Kathleen was born on March 12, 1950 in Stafford, Kansas, daughter of Virgil and Esther Carter Ogle. The family moved to Hutchinson in 1955, where Kathleen attended elementary through high school. She graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa in 1972 with a degree in history with an emphasis on Slavic studies. She earned a master's degree in elementary education from Emporia State University in 1974 and a master's degree in special education with an emphasis in gifted education from Kansas State University in 1980. She had moved to Seneca, Kansas in 1973 where she taught in Nemaha Valley Public School and the Nemaha-Marshall Special Education Co-op for 30 years.

She and Elmer Ronnebaum were married on October 30, 1976 at St. Mary's Church in St. Benedict, Kansas. They were active members of the church and were involved in and supported many community affairs and projects.

Kathleen taught gifted students for the majority of her career. She led many academic activities, such as Geography Bee, Scholar’s Bowl and math competitions. She conducted many presentations on art, artists, architecture and more. As a gifted education teacher, she encouraged students and helped them attain goals that set many of them on lifetime careers in technology and finance. Kathleen was recognized regionally for her artistic ability as she designed and pieced hundreds of quilts and many other sewing projects, donating scores of them to charitable causes. She was a founding member of the Seneca Quilt Guild. She greatly enjoyed designing and making quilts of all sizes, teaching sewing tutorials, and meeting with the Quilt Guild members. She was also involved in the Kansas Quilters Organization and served as its President for several years. She also loved reading, baking, gardening, and travel.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents.

Kathleen is survived by her husband, Elmer; a son David, Lawrence, Kansas, and daughter Sarah, Washington, DC; and her siblings, Nancy Ogle of Wichita and Mark Ogle of Lawrence.

A Rosary will be prayed at Lauer Funeral Home on Friday, May 10th at 7 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30AM on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Benedict.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be left in Kathleen’s memory to St. Mary’s Catholic Church and/or the Seneca public Library.

The family asks that memorials be designated to St. Mary’s Church or to the Seneca Public Library.