Kathleen Elizabeth Valenta
(née Vatterott) Fortified with the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, she passed away October 11, 2025. She was 92.
Kate was a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and lifelong Catholic—family-focused, devout, and cheeky, often in the same breath.
Beloved bride of the late U.S. Navy Cmdr. Richard R. Valenta; Mom to Richard J. Valenta and Martha L. Valenta (Tim Meehan); and proud grandmother of Sarah and Elizabeth Hoffer. Loving sister of Susan Bresnan, Chris (Nancy) Vatterott, Genny (Jim) Coughlin, Winnie (Mike) Greathouse, Claire (Bruce) Hundelt, Bob (Martha) Vatterott, and Betty Vatterott; and sister to the late Mary Jane (Mike) Harris, Patsy (Bill) Erker, Peggy (Frank) Danna, “Sonny”, Martha (Dave) Flavan, Charles Vatterott, Mary Ann (Jerry) Holden, Greg Vatterott (survived by his wife Susan), John Vatterott (survived by his wife Joan), and Catherine Vatterott (Greg Langdon).
Born in 1933, she was the sixth of seven children of Charles F. Vatterott Jr. and Jeanette Rutherford Vatterott. The fourth child, “Sonny,” passed away at only 18 months old. Her early years were spent at 5 Chesterton Lane in Chesterfield—back when Baxter and Clayton Roads were surrounded by open fields.
Kathleen’s mother died when she was five, a loss that stayed with her throughout her life. Her last memory of her mother was sitting beside her on a stretcher as they were taken to the hospital. She was raised by the nuns at Sacred Heart Academy in St. Charles, her oldest sister Mary Jane, and her father, who was busy as a homebuilder.
In 1945, Kathleen’s uncle Greg Vatterott died in a plane crash. Her father stepped in to help Greg’s widow and four children. Years later, the two married and formally adopted each other’s children, blending their families. Cousins became brothers and sisters—and then came seven more, bringing the total number of surviving siblings to seventeen.
Kathleen attended St. Joseph’s Academy and went on to Saint Louis University, where she became the first in her family to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education. She taught for many years in the Ritenour School District and later in Honduras, teaching the children of Chiquita Banana employees. She also ran two small gift shops—one in the Holiday Inn Creve Coeur and, later, another at Noah’s Ark in St. Charles. When her own children were young, she was occasionally a substitute teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes, where they attended school.
Over 30 and unimpressed by the dating pool, Kathleen helped form Louis IX, a Catholic social club for single professionals. At one event, a gust of wind scattered her papers across the yard, and Cmdr. Richard R. Valenta came to her rescue. She later sealed the deal with a chocolate pie, and they married on Flag Day, 1968.
They built their home in Clayton, where her backyard overflowed with color each summer—zinnias, marigolds, snapdragons, hostas, and lilies of the valley. Thanks to the extra lot they owned, she and Richard grew persimmons, blackberries, cherries, apples, green beans, and tomatoes.
Kathleen and Richard raised two children while active in St. Joseph’s Church. After their children were grown, they moved to Des Peres and joined St. Gerard Majella Parish, remaining there for three decades. The couple shared 54 years of marriage until Richard’s death in 2022. After his passing, Kathleen lived at St. Agnes Home with the Carmelite nuns and later at Dolan Memory Care.
A devout Catholic, Kathleen attended daily Mass and volunteered with the Vincentian Ladies of Charity. She served as a eucharistic minister, took part in adoration, planned parish bazaars, went on retreats, and sang in a variety of choirs. She supported Catholic education at every level—from parish schools to high schools to Saint Louis University, where she once served on the Board for the College of Arts and Sciences.
She was also a loyal donor to Missouri Right to Life, guided by her faith and belief in the value of every life.
Family was always her greatest joy. Her siblings were her foundation, and the annual Vatterott family picnic was her favorite day of the year.
Her closest sister, Martha, shared her humor and spirit. Kathleen stayed by Martha’s side until her passing and often said losing Martha was the hardest thing she’d endured after losing their father. In her final months, she often spoke of Martha—sometimes laughing with her as if she were in the room, other times mourning her.
Her friendships were strong. She met Annie Schaeffer at age seven while boarding at Sacred Heart, and the two remained close until Annie’s passing in 2018. Over the decades, Kate built a wide circle of friends—celebrating countless New Year’s Eves, St. Patrick’s Days, VP Fairs, Memorial Days, and backyard barbecues with the Josses, Morgans, Sickings, Whites, Backers, and more.
Kathleen adored her granddaughters Sarah and Elizabeth Hoffer, whom she called her greatest blessings. She never missed a chance to remind her son that he should get married and have children of his own—never.
She was a great cook and gardener, known for her roasts, baked goods, and the welcoming table she kept for anyone who stopped by. She thought of dark chocolate as a health food and never held back on bacon fat or butter. Her kitchen was warm, her home bustling, and her hospitality unmatched.
She also had a love of words, often writing lighthearted, witty poems under the pen name Jeanette Ford—a playful nod to her mother. Her poem “Pickle” was recited so often that her daughter once thought it was as famous as Shel Silverstein…
Pickle
A pickle’s a pickle because it was pickled,
And no other reason, except for the seasoning,
There’s sweet, sour, bread & butter, and dill,
And they all grow on the side of a hill.
– Jeannette Ford
Kathleen donated her body to Saint Louis University, as her husband did before her.
Services: A “FUN-eral” (not a funeral) will be held on Monday, November 10, 2025 at St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church, 1971 Dougherty Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63122 beginning with a gathering of remembrance at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m.
Leave a Condolence