Mary Kathleen Menninger

Mary Kathleen “Kate, Kathy” (Cameron) Menninger, age 81, of Trenton, Ohio entered peacefully into eternal rest at Ohio’s Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 (the Feast of St. John the Evangelist in the Octave of Christmas) well-fortified by her lifelong deep, abiding Catholic faith. Born October 23, 1942 to Francis and Mary Cameron of Shandon, Ohio, she always spoke fondly of her grade school years, especially many of the sisters, at Queen of Peace Catholic School and Notre Dame High School, where she graduated in 1960. She married Joseph J. Menninger, Jr. at Queen of Peace Catholic Church on October 15, 1960 and they had two children Joseph and Tamara. Kathy spent her married years homemaking and pursuing various writing projects, including children’s picture books. Diagnosed with systemic lupus around 1980, Kathy was a true warrior physically and spiritually. After her husband’s death October 9, 1983, Kathy began attending daily Masses at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Trenton and soon re-entered the workforce as secretary to then pastor Father Victor Reis then Father Francis Buerger. With the help of Father Buerger and Sister Karen Ann Hartman, Kathy began work at Mercy Franciscan of Schroeder Retirement Community where she retired as Admissions Director in 2007, a career of 21 years.  Her Christian vocation to teach led to 35 years of religious education at Holy Name beginning with Preschool children in the 1980s to 2nd grade First Communion classes in the late 1990s and then heading the religious education program at Holy Name until her retirement in 2019. She loved her family and extended Holy Name family as she lived her life rooted in faith summed up by 2 Timothy 4:6-8. She also enjoyed traveling to places of spiritual significance from The National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA to retreats at St. Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad, IN.
 
Kathy is survived by her son, Joseph (Deborah) Menninger III of Trenton, OH and daughter, Tamara Menninger also of Trenton; her beloved grandchildren, Matthew (Christina) Phillips of Monroe and Brandy Phillips of Middletown; great-grandchildren, Alyson and Abygayle Phillips and Jadyn Phillips-Griffey; sisters and best friends, Gloria Dianne DeSalvo of West Chester, OH and Frances Eileen (John) Tharp of Troutville, VA; brother, Robert (Patricia) Cameron of Cincinnati; brother-in-law, Richard (Dick) Menninger of Cincinnati; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Kathy was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph; parents, Francis and Mary; and youngest brother, William Cameron.

The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the care team at Ohio’s Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties; the staff at Atrium Medical Center; and her many doctors and care teams over the years.

Mass of Christian Burial  will be Thursday, January 4, 2024  at 10:00 AM at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church,  222 Hamilton Ave., Trenton with Father Paul Gebhardt as celebrant. Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding Funeral Home, 3805 Roosevelt Blvd. (at Bonita Dr.), Middletown. Interment will be at St. Aloysius Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Holy Name Catholic Church, St. Jude Children’s Research Hopsital, Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) or Ohio’s Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties. 

Please sign the guestbook at WilsonSchrammSpaulding.com