Katherine Royce

Katherine (Kathy) went to her heavenly home on Saturday, January 27^th, 2024. Funeral Services will take place at 11am on Monday, February 5, 2024 at Normandale Lutheran Church. Livestream of the services will be available on the church website here. A visitation will begin one hour prior to services, and a reception will take place following the services. The service will be recorded, and available to watch following the service. Please click here for the recorded service.

Katherine was born to Jacob and Suzanne (Eerdmans) DeBoer, along with her twin brother Jacob Jr., on March 3^, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois. At age nine, her family moved to Pease, MN. Kathy attended a country school and the Pease Christian School for seventh and eighth grade.

Next family move was to California to the Artesia/Bellflower area. Kathy worked several jobs and at the age of sixteen moved-in with her sister Eleanor. A 1956 highlight, Kathy was voted the Queen of the Artesia Dairyland Fair.

In 1958, Kathy moved to Minnesota to help family, and accepted a job at the Rand Tower in Minneapolis as an elevator operator. It was there that she met her future father-in-law and later husband, Richard.

Kathy was married to Richard Royce, June 19^th, 1959, at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church. They were blessed with three daughters. Kathy provided care for young in her home and cared for senior family members and friends. Kathy received her GED in 1978: the same year her first daughter graduated from high school.  

In retirement, Richard and Kathy built a lake home and moved to Crosslake Minnesota from Edina/Bloomington. They enjoyed their lake home for 25 years. They treasured time with family, friends, and their church family from Crosslake Lutheran. In 2020, Kathy moved to Whitefish at the Lakes in Crosslake and enjoyed three years there. At her last home, English Rose Care Suites in Edina, Kathy received loving and personalized care. She even introduced the game of cribbage to staff, danced, helped feed the birds, cared for flowers, and always saved room for dessert.

Kathy is lovingly remembered by her three daughters Diane Rieke (John), Karen Royce and Nancy Teske (Thad). A wife of 54 years and devoted mother; she was also a fun-loving grandmother to Rachel (Alex) Ausk, Kirsten (Mason) Herman and Grace: and great grandmother to Braelyn, Joelle, Addyson and Noah. She is also survived by brother David DeBoer, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Preceded in death by her husband Richard Royce, her parents Jacob and Suzanne DeBoer, twin brother Jack DeBoer, and sisters Delores Larsen, Joanne Ruis and Eleanor VanEck.

Memorials are preferred to:

Crosslake Lutheran Church, Crosslake MN

Normandale Lutheran Church, Edina MN

Alzheimer’s Association – MN/ND Chapter