Kathryn Mary (Feddema) Habstritt, 79, of Wayzata, MN passed away peacefully on January 19th, 2026. While her passing was unexpected, she was surrounded by her loving family.

Kathy was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota on October 6, 1946, to Norbert and Delia (Brambrink) Feddema. She spent her early years with her older sister Jean and older brother Charles, in Deer River, MN before the family moved to Bagley, MN. As a teenager, she liked to spend her summers at the lake and worked as a lifeguard. Kathy loved music and was active as a percussionist in the high school band.

Kathy graduated from Bagley High School in 1964 and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bemidji State College in 1968. In 1997, Kathy received her Master of Education degree from The College of St. Scholastica.

In 1968, Kathy married Richard Habstritt. Together, they had two children – sons Bryan and Brett Habstritt. Kathy enjoyed playing cards, reading, sewing and family movie nights. She was also an excellent dog and cat mom, caring for several family pets over many years. Kathy and Rick lived their entire married lives in Bemidji, MN until Rick passed away in 2019. In 2020, Kathy moved to Wayzata, MN to live closer to her children and grandchildren, Meredith and Mallory Habstritt. She enjoyed her time at Folkestone in Wayzata where she made many new friends and enjoyed working out in the pool, playing cards, watching the Minnesota Wild, and happy hours at the Wayzata Muni.

Kathy was a loving and caring wife and mother, and a committed friend to many. Her favorite roles, however, were that of a dedicated teacher and a doting grandmother.

Kathy taught kindergarten in Bemidji ISD #31 for over 30 years. She was passionate about early childhood education and was a fierce advocate for teachers. Over her long career, she impacted the lives of hundred and hundreds of students. She was proud to be a working mother and actively fought for equal pay for female teachers during her career.

Kathy loved being a grandmother to her two granddaughters. She loved reading and singing to them and loved hosting them at "Grammie Camp". She never missed a piano or dance performance and watched dance videos on her iPad often. She was so proud of their accomplishments, and while it was difficult to travel, in the last few years she was able to attend out of state dance competitions and pageants that her granddaughters participated in, as well as attending her granddaughter's high school graduation from boarding school in New Hampshire.

Remaining to cherish Kathy's memory are her son Byran, son Brett and Annalee (Hagen) Habstritt, and their children Meredith and Mallory. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and numerous cousins.

She is preceded in death by her parents Norbert and Delia, her siblings Jean and Chuck, who was tragically killed in Vietnam, and her husband Rick.

Kathy will be greatly missed. She was a blessing in many people's lives. She was a prolific social media commenter, skilled seamstress, a Wordle buddy, and a frequent communicator via text and phone with many friends and family. As such, her daily outreach to those she loved will leave a tangible void.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, February 12th, 2026, at David Lee Funeral Home in Wayzata, MN from 4 to 6pm. A memorial service will be held at 11am on Friday, February 13th, 2026, at Wayzata Community Church, with a gathering being held starting at 10am in the atrium prior to the service.

Kathy was a dedicated teacher, so in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to the Bemidji 31 Education Foundation Fund. The fund supports activities, projects, or services designed to enhance or improve the education or educational opportunities of the students, staff, educational programs and institutions of ISD #31, including but not limited to post-secondary scholarship funds, program restricted endowments, faculty improvement programs, and capital equipment acquisition. Please visit bemidjieducationfoundation.org for more information.