Kathaleen Kaire Lienemann

Kathaleen Kaire Lienemann, 85, of Little Falls and formerly of Motley, passed away Friday, May 24, 2024, at St. Otto’s Care Center. Kathaleen was born on March 23, 1939, in Minneapolis, MN, to Edwin and Hazel (Hanson) Albrecht, and was the third of six children. 

A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. at Emblom-Brenny Funeral Service. A memorial service will follow at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Dale Siers officiating. The burial will take place later in Bloomington at the Bloomington Cemetery where she will be laid to rest alongside her mother. In Lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to be made to “Saving Kari’s hope” as Kathaleen’s great niece is fighting for her life.  https://www.gofundme.com/f/saving-karis-hope 

Kathaleen shared a wonderful life with her late husband, Ron, and raised two children, Travis and Natasha, in their home in Champlin. Kathaleen spent years caring for and watching her beloved grandchildren, nephew and latch key children.

Kathaleen eventually moved in with Natasha, and her partner Randy. They recently moved to Motley, where Kathaleen lived until health issues required additional care. Her final months were spent at St. Otto’s Care Center, surrounded by a loving team of caregivers and her new friends.

Kathaleen had a passion for life that was evident in her many hobbies and interests. She was an avid player of cards, board games, Yahtzee, and loved building puzzles. Her creativity shone through in her sewing, crocheting, and knitting. She created hundreds of unique handmade Afghans and sewed numerous items; including wedding and bridesmaid dresses, as well as her daughter's prom dresses.

Her love for the outdoors was equally strong. She delighted in watching birds and wildlife and enjoyed spending time with the family dogs. Boating, fishing, outdoor games, and target shooting were among her favorite activities. Remarkably, at the age of 72, she took up deer hunting and successfully bagged both a buck and a doe in her first season.

Kathaleen's special affection for trains was well-known. She made a point to wave at every passing train, believing that her friendly greeting could brighten the conductor's day. When a conductor responded with a horn blast, Kathaleen's joy was infectious as she cheered and clapped with excitement.

As the matriarch of her family, Kathaleen was the glue that held everyone together. She earned the affectionate nickname "G," becoming everyone's mom and grandma. Family was everything to her, and she celebrated every achievement of her children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, and nephews with pride and joy.

Left to cherish G’s memory are her children: Travis (Ellen) Lienemann and Natasha (Randy Hartze) McPherson; her grandchildren: Marshall (Amy Richardson) and Mitchell McPherson; Riley and Sydney Lienemann; her brother, James Albrecht; her brother-in-law, Ron Butze; her sister-in-law, Karen Kay (Marty) Kramer; many nieces and nephews and two God children.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her siblings and their spouses: Howard (Mary) Albrecht, Alice Butze, Edward (Marge) Albrecht, and Bernice (Doug) Sokolowski; her nieces, Connie Albrecht and Jennifer Sokolowski; her nephews, Kevin and Cory “Shep” Albrecht; and her niece-in-law, Jenene Krogstad.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the entire staff at St. Otto’s for the exceptional care they provided to Kathaleen. And of course, a warm thank you to all the caring residents for their friendship.  

Emblom-Brenny Funeral service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Kathaleen.

Kathaleen's legacy of love, creativity, and family devotion will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.