Kathryn Longo Obituary

Kathryn "Kitty" Louise Longo of Iowa City, IA passed away suddenly at the age of 84 on Wednesday, February 5th, following a long illness. She is survived by her husband of 62 years Frank Longo, seven children; Julie Longo (Rob) of Saint Paul, MN, Joseph Longo (Tracy) of Iowa City, IA, Crista Pell (Mike) of Indianapolis, IN, Thad, Jude and Gabrielle Longo of Iowa City, IA, Gian Longo (Jill) of Brookfield, IL; and ten loving grandchildren, Cooper, Katy, Eliot, Nico, Tino, Theo, Gino, Henry, Isla, and Lucy.
Born March 22, 1940, in Chicago, IL to Louis and Mary Etta Melcher, Kathryn was one of six children. Siblings Jack, Tom, Mary Ester "Winder", Jenny Linda, and David preceded her in death. Following several moves at a young age, she was raised in Los Angeles, CA. She met Frank at the age of 19 working at Van de Kamp's restaurant in North Hollywood; she was a waitress and he was a cook. At Van de Kamp's, she was known to pass notes of affection to Frank on order tickets. They spent countless hours together before getting married on June 23, 1962, at the age of 22. They went on their honeymoon to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks before moving to Corvallis, OR to pursue Frank's budding academic career and to start a family. Ensuing moves to Amherst, MA; Germantown, TN; and finally, Iowa City, IA, would see the family continue to grow.
Kitty, as she was known to friends and family, was a homemaker. Frank would say she had the toughest job managing the home and raising the children. In addition, she had many hobbies and interests, including gardening. Each year, her gardens took on more complexity, variety, and beauty. Her two greenhouses were filled with seedlings for flowers and vegetables, creating much anticipation for the coming growing season. Many of those seedlings were for her children and their gardening endeavors. In retirement, Frank joined her in the gardens, often sharing a mid-morning coffee after the ring of a cowbell.
Kitty found great joy in the accomplishments and successes of her children and grandchildren, decorating the home with their artwork and photographs. She had a love of decorating and design, and helped Frank make many of the stained-glass lamps that adorn their home and those of their children. She was skilled in country crafts such as needle stitching, quilting, and knitting. She could command a sewing machine, from making clothing, including the suits for Jude, Thad, and Gian's First Communion ceremonies, to creating a simple patch. She was a master of the kitchen, especially bread making and canning. However, her greatest gift of all was sharing her passions and passing them on to her children and grandchildren.
Kitty had a kind and gentle heart. She found solace and community as a devoted Catholic and felt great love and empathy for those less fortunate. As a way of giving back, she and Frank embraced charitable giving and donating to the local food bank through time spent at produce auctions in Kalona, IA.
A visitation is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 15th, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City, IA. This will be followed by a church service at 10 a.m., reception at 11:00 a.m., and interment to follow at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Kitty's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Coralville Community Food Pantry, or The Iowa City CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank.
A special thank you is extended from the family to the staff at Briarwood Healthcare Center and UIHC for the compassionate and unwavering care they provided for Kitty