Kathleen F. Drees

Kathleen F. Drees, age 93 of Chardon, formerly of Euclid, passed away Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at Maplewood at Chardon, Chardon, OH. She was born March 6, 1931 in Cleveland. Mrs. Drees was a daughter, wife, mother, homemaker, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, and friend. Nothing made her happier than to have family gathered around the table for a meal. Her nearby neighbors in Euclid could count on her to share whatever she had baked or cooked. She was her husband’s rock, always supportive of Kenneth and the family’s business - The Colonial Homestead in Richmond Heights, OH. Kathleen took loving care of “her Ken” at home following his lung cancer diagnosis in 1987. After helping to run the family business until 2001, Kathleen was a part-time sales associate at Sears in Richmond Heights until 2008. Kathleen enjoyed cooking and baking and trying new recipes. She was quick to share a recipe and loved to receive recipes from her friends. Flowers were her passion and she knew every annual and perennial by its scientific and generic name. Her backyard in Euclid was a haven for the birds and even for a doe and twin fawns several years ago. Hummingbirds and bees were welcome and for many years Kathleen took care of all the weeding, watering, and fertilizing of her garden. Kathleen loved books and encouraged reading. She was a regular at Wickliffe Public Library. In her later years, she enjoyed a hard-fought game of Scrabble, often challenging the legitimacy of a competitor’s word, as well as word-search puzzles. Kathleen was an accomplished seamstress and made Halloween costumes for her children when they were young from sewing patterns, a First Communion dress and veil, as well as some of her own clothes. Her Euclid home had many framed cross-stitch pieces she made over the years. Throughout Kathleen’s home in Euclid and for the last 11 months in her apartment at Maplewood at Chardon, she had many angel figurines decorating every room. She had a special love and connection to angels, especially the guardian angels. She made sure every family member had a guardian angel car visor medal. Kathleen loved music and attended dozens of grade school, high school, and college concerts, ballets, and every academic or sporting event she could that included her grandchildren. She could not get enough news about her grandchildren and great grandchildren, reveling in their every accomplishment with pride. Her great grandchildren were the loves of her life in her later years. Survivors include her children: Kelly (Kevin) Donahue, Ken (Victoria) Drees and Dan (Janine) Drees; grandchildren: Stephanie (Ryan) Gilley, Ryan (Melony) Donahue, Samantha (Sion) Dawson, Alexis Drees, Kenny Drees, Danny (Rob Zajdel) Drees and Jacqueline Drees; and great-grandchildren: Addy Gilley and Ace Gilley. Preceding Kathleen in death are husband: Kenneth P. Drees and parents: William and Cornelia Waller. The family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 4, 2024 at St. Gabriel Church, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Rd., Mentor, OH 44060. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 4, 2024 at the church. Interment will be in All Souls Cemetery, Chardon. The family requests contributions may be made to The Salvation Army, 69 Pearl St., Painesville, OH 44077, or the St. Gabriel Food Pantry, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Rd., Mentor, OH, 44060. Arrangements entrusted Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 8466 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060. Offer condolences at www.brunners.com

Kathleen F. Drees

March 6, 1931 - September 24, 2024