Kathryn Y Mendenhall

Kathryn Y. Mendenhall, age 72, Clark, the wife of John Mendenhall, died Friday evening, September 25, 2015 in route to a Watertown hospital. Per her request cremation has taken place, friends and family gathered Sunday evening at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel in Clark to say their goodbyes and fellowship with her family. There will be memorial services held on Friday, October 2, at 2PM in the Elmwood Christian Church at Elmwood, Nebraska. Burial of her ashes will be in the Elmwood Cemetery. She was born on August 15, 1943 at Lincoln, NE. Her parents were Lee and Alice (Carnes) Elliott. Kathryn attended grade school and some high school in Alvo, NE and graduated from Eagle High School in Eagle, NE. She then attended Cosmetology School and became a licensed beautician. Kathryn owned and operated a salon in Elmwood after her graduation. In November of 1962 she was united in marriage to John H. Mendenhall at Elwood. They had a dairy operation and small grain farm in the area while Kathryn also continued the salon work. In 1973 they moved to the Browns Valley, MN, Rosholt, SD area and operated a resort on Lake Traverse. They later farmed near Watertown and then the South Shore area and later to a farm near Waubay where they raised hogs and also had a dairy operation. The couple then moved to Kansas where they lived for 11 years. While living near Watertown she worked at Midcom, Jenkins Living Center, and Dacotah Textiles and then when they were near Waubay, she worked at the care center in Webster. Kathryn was never afraid of work, besides her working at those businesses and raising three energy filled boys; she also assisted on the farm in all aspects, from helping in the dairy to driving silage truck. She enjoyed raising a large garden - canning and freezing of garden produce, crocheting and playing solitaire on her hand held game device. In later years she enjoyed sitting in an easy chair and reading. Preceding her in death were her parents. Survivors include her husband John of Clark, sons, Dennis (Barbara) Mendenhall of Watertown, Keith Mendenhall of Waubay and Wayne (Theresa) Mendenhall of Hazel, 10 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and her siblings, James Elliott and John (Nancy) Elliott all of Lincoln, NS and Jeanne (Rob) Brandenburg of Missouri. Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home of Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com