Shorewood was always a special place for Dick and Kathie Voelz. It was Dick’s hometown. And though they raised their own children in nearby Glendale, they returned as empty nesters in the 1980s to rekindle old friendships and put down new roots.
Kathryn “Kathie” Voelz
Kathryn “Kathie” Voelz died April 1, 2025, at the age of 94, a decade after her husband of 62 years.
Her estate included a bequest of more than $40,000 for the Shorewood Foundation, one of the organization’s largest gifts in recent years. It is, daughter Susan Caldwell said, a testament to their generosity and the fondness they held for their community.
“They loved living in Shorewood. It is such a special place,” Susan said. “As far as my parents were concerned, Shorewood was home.”
Shorewood Foundation President Jamie Reeve said the organization was thrilled to receive the gift.
“Mr. and Mrs. Voelz had been generous supporters of the foundation over the years,” he said. “They very much believed in our mission, which is to enhance life in this community. And their support will be felt for years to come.”
The Shorewood Foundation, in its 61st year, is one of the oldest community foundations in Wisconsin. The Voelz bequest is its largest gift since 2020, when Shorewood siblings Carol and Gordon Habeck left the foundation about $3.25 million.
Dick and Kathie were friends with the Habecks, and Susan said the siblings’ gift “made my parents so happy.”
“Both of my parents really believed in paying it forward,” she said.
Kathie was born in Rockford, Ill., and attended Northwestern University School of Nursing. She met Dick while working at Evanston Hospital where he was visiting his boss. They traveled the world through Dick’s position as a sales engineer and lived in England and Germany for five years until their first grandchild was born.
They are survived by three daughters, Susan Caldwell, who recently moved to Shorewood from Mequon, Nancy Milne of Williston, VT, and Sally (Al) Ferguson of Milwaukee; granddaughters Katie (Dick) Pfarrer and Amanda Milne; and other relatives and friends around the world.
In addition to the Shorewood Foundation, Kathie left comparable gifts to her church, Northern Sky Theater in Door County, and a University of Wisconsin scholarship that bears the couple’s name.