Obituary of Catherine Louise "Katy" Jorgensen

Catherine Louise “Katy” Jorgensen, age 93, passed peacefully from this world on Wednesday, July 17th, 2024 in Hospice Care at the Lake City Care Home (MN), Mayo Clinic Health System. She put up a valiant fight with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer for more than five years.

Katy was born May 29th, 1931 to Edward and Blanche (Lange) Schmidt at the City Hospital in Red Wing, MN. The family moved to Frontenac, MN and lived there for five years where she attended first grade. They moved to Red Wing, where she attended public schools, graduating from Red Wing High School in 1949, where she was a member of the Jr. and Sr. Honor Society, ranked academically in the top five percent of her 149-member class. Katy was a pitcher for the Red Wing Sporting Goods ladies’ softball team and worked at the Goodhue County National Bank as well as the Marigold Dairy Bar in Red Wing. She attended Minnesota State Teachers’ College in Winona, MN for a short time, before marrying Wayne Thomford of Zumbrota, MN in 1951. They later divorced. From being a city girl, she adapted very well to life on the farm.

Katy was a Sunday School teacher and sang in the church choir at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Zumbrota, as well as being a 4-H Leader for many years. She bowled on a local league and played softball for the Rockne Rockets ladies’ team. An excellent seamstress, she sewed many clothes for her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed getting together with her Bridge Club every month.

After her divorce, she moved into Zumbrota and worked for an insurance agent, as well as an optometrist. Earning a certification in dental assisting from the University of Minnesota, she began working for a local dentist. In May of 1973, she married Wayne Rasmusson, and they farmed in Roscoe Township until Wayne developed terminal brain cancer and passed away in 1979.

Katy then moved back to Red Wing and took an extension course for Interior Decorating from La Salle University, where she earned an associate degree. In 1981 she married Dan Jorgensen in Dubuque, IA aboard their houseboat. They both enjoyed living on their boat all summer, along with their friends and neighbors of the Red Wing Cruisers Club. They wintered at their home in Bonita Springs, FL, where they enjoyed golfing and taking their boat out to the beaches through Wiggins Pass. Dan developed cancer and passed away in 2003.

In February of 2006, she married Curt Haller of Wanamingo, MN. They made their home in Red Wing and spent summer weekends in their camper near Balsam Lake, WI, and wintered in their Sun City West, AZ home. Curt passed away in 2016.

Her family nicknamed her the “Energizer Bunny”, as she was always busy doing things, rarely slowing down. A true caregiver, she took exceptional care of her husbands, a mother-in-law, and other family members throughout their illnesses.

She enjoyed watching the MN Twins, MN Wild, and the MN Gopher games on TV. She also enjoyed reading, doing crossword puzzles, and putting together jigsaw puzzles. She texted her daughter every morning and evening on her iPad, right up until one week prior to her passing.

Katy is survived by her son Scott (Liza) Thomford; her daughter Ann (Jeff) Curtis; five grandchildren; Alyson (Dan) Blakstad, Jorge (Katie) Bremer, Kacey (Joel) Radke, Adam Bremer, and Lindsay (Mark) Henderson, as well as six great-grandchildren, Henry, Jack, Jonah, Laney, Zeke, and Rex.

She was preceded in death by her parents; four infant children, Joni, Steven, Sandra, and John Thomford; her husbands; three brothers, Stuart Schmidt, Eugene Schmidt, and William Schmidt, and her sister, Shirley “Polly” (Schmidt) Nystrom.

Katy and her family wish to thank all of the nurses and other support staff with Mayo Clinic Hospice Care and the Lake City Care Facility for their outstanding care.

A private family celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are being made by The Cremation Society of Minnesota.

Memorials are preferred to the Mayo Clinic Hospice.