Kathleen Eaton

Kathie was born August 6, 1952 in Mountain Home, Arkansas to Robert and Mary Alice Dickerson. She was also blessed to have been treated as a daughter by her step-parents, John Hower and Carol Evans. Life allowed for her to settle in a variety of places where she had a way of touching the hearts and influencing the lives of those she met and befriended. She would eventually marry her loving husband, Larry, in 1993, blending their two families into one. Kathie truly enjoyed entertaining friends and family with wonderful food, drink, and stories; and her appreciation for detail added a particularly magical quality to special events and holiday celebrations. Her love of gardening contributed to the marvelous meals she and Larry created together. Her sense of humor and engaging storytelling - skillfully honed and nurtured over a lifetime - was like that of the most seasoned entertainer. Kathie and Larry found great joy in traveling. After having crisscrossed North America together over a number of years, they then turned their attention to exploring Europe. They shared their joy for travel by taking many trips with family and friends, including many vacations with the grandkids and family visits. She had great pride in and love for the whole of her family, but her four children and five grandchildren were especially dear to her. Kathie attended the University of Nebraska in Omaha where she was involved with the Chi Omega Sorority then later attended Simpson College and DMACC. Her career with Farm Bureau Insurance spanned over 30 years. It began with her serving as an office assistant at one of the company's rural county offices in Audubon, Iowa; but eventually, she made her way to the corporate home office in West Des Moines. There, through continued education and skill development, she achieved her final position as a Senior Application Consultant / Developer before retiring in 2017. Kathie's love of knowledge and the joy she took in the process of learning led her to appreciate what all manner of subjects and fields of study had to offer her. She had a particular passion for literature, the arts, and history which lent to her becoming an avid reader and attending performances of all sorts. She was also a Nebraska Husker fan, but enjoyed watching all manner of college sports. Survivors include her husband, Larry Eaton of Johnston; children: Keith Kowal, Jr. of Des Moines, Kristian (Kathleen) Kowal of Norwalk, Ryan Eaton (Toni) of Des Moines, Alyssa Pollard of Des Moines; grandchildren: Lilyahna Kowal, Sophia Kowal, Everett Eaton, Reed Eaton, and Brayden Pollard; mother, Mary Alice Hower of West Des Moines; siblings: Mark Dickerson of Des Moines, Robert Dickerson of Houston, TX, Jennifer (James) Fleming of Papillion, NE, Stephani (Mark) Brooks of Wichita, KS, Richard Dickerson of Wichita, KS. Kathie was preceded in death by her father, Robert Dickerson and step-father, John Hower. Memorial contributions may be made to Iowa Public Radio. Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesCares.com.