Kathryn Lee (Tramp) Wieseler, known to everyone as Kathie, was born on April 14, 1953, and passed away on Sept. 19, 2026, at the age of 73. She spent her final moments at home in Yankton, South Dakota, surrounded by the people she loved. Kathie was hardworking, generous, and full of energy, with a deep love for her family and friends. She was always thinking of others and found genuine happiness in taking care of the people around her.
Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton, South Dakota, with Reverend Bob Lacey officiating. Burial will be in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in St. Helena, Nebraska, following the lunch. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:30 PM on October 23, 2026, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, with a vigil service at 6:30 PM.
Kathie grew up in Fordyce, and graduated from Cedar Catholic High School in Hartington. She married Jerome Donner, and together they raised four children. Later in life, she married Bob Wieseler, who had three children of his own. Kathie and Bob eventually settled in Yankton, where they enjoyed many years together.
Kathie had a strong work ethic and a determination to do things well. While raising her four children, she worked alongside Jerome in their family construction business and spent a few years in the school kitchen in Laurel, where she couldn't resist adding her own special herbs and spices to improve the recipes. She later went to college, earning an associate degree from Northeast Community College while managing the responsibilities of work and raising her family. It was an accomplishment she was especially proud of. Kathie went on to work at Homestead Homes, where she became manager of the drafting department. She later worked at Mannes Architects and Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc., where she was a mechanical drafter.
After retiring from her career, Kathie continued working part time in the kitchen at Yankton Middle School, where she enjoyed the students and the people she worked with. In typical Kathie fashion, she regularly and quietly put money into the lunch accounts of students who needed it, never looking for recognition.
Kathie had a way of making people feel remembered and cared for. She never missed a birthday or anniversary without sending a card, and she loved cooking and sharing homemade food with family and friends. When she baked pies, it wasn’t one or two, it was dozens. When she canned soups and vegetables, she made enough to stock the pantry for months, and there was always something to give away. She made sure no one went home hungry.
Kathie enjoyed spending time on her beautiful deck, tending to her flowers, working in her garden, or getting lost in a good book. She also enjoyed crafting and decorating her home for every holiday. Kathie loved to travel, often with a large group of close friends, visiting places from Hawaii to Italy and many places in between.
Kathie cherished her friendships and always made time for the people in her life. Whether meeting for breakfast or coffee, sharing a meal or a glass of wine (with ice), playing cards, or simply sitting around visiting, she enjoyed every opportunity to spend time together. Many of her friendships lasted for decades.
Family and faith were always at the center of Kathie’s life. A lifelong Catholic, she attended church regularly until her illness no longer allowed her to, and her faith remained important to her throughout her life. She took great pride in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and loved knowing what was happening in their lives. She especially enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s activities and being there for the moments that mattered. Kathie loved having family together and making her and Bob’s house feel like a second home when family came to visit. She was always thinking ahead, remembering what people liked to eat, making sure everyone had a comfortable place to sleep, and carrying on family traditions. It was her heart that brought everyone together, making sure each person felt loved and cared for.
At 71, Kathie got her first and only tattoo, a small slice of pie, and her grandchildren joined her in getting the exact same tattoo. It was a fitting little symbol for someone who had spent so much of her life feeding, gathering, and caring for the people around her. Whether she was Mom, Grandma, GiGi, a wife, sister, or friend, the people Kathie loved knew how much they mattered to her, not simply because she said it, but because of all the ways she showed it.
Kathie is survived by her husband, Robert Wieseler; her children, Shannon (Scottie) Burgett, Benjamin (Wendy) Donner, Adam (Sara) Donner, and Anthony (Paige) Donner; and her stepchildren, Nick (Kiersten) Wieseler, Crissy Wieseler, and Jen (Marcus) Howard. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Brittani (Kyle) Phillips, Dustin (Makayla) Burgett, Evan Donner, Olivia (Samuel) Nuño, Kaylee (Nolan) Ohlrich, Tristan Donner, Max Donner, Naomi Wieseler, Helena Wieseler, Dominick Wieseler, Jack Howard, and Charlotte Howard; her great-grandchildren, Emerie Phillips and Rhett Phillips; and her sisters, Dottie Weinandt and Jody Bergman.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Doris Tramp; her brother, Kimberly Tramp; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ralph and Mary Wieseler; and her sisters-in-law, Barbara Wieseler and Paulette Wieseler.
To send an online message to the family, please visit www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com.
