Kathleen Marie Rau, “Kathy”, 66, of Eau Claire, WI passed away on Monday, October 5^th, 2015 at Heritage Assisted Living in Eau Claire, WI following a courageous fight with ovarian cancer. True to her spirit though, she made sure that cancer knew she wasn’t going quietly.

Kathy was born on August 22^nd, 1949. She was the first of three daughters born to Elsie and Donald Anderson. She graduated from Eau Claire Memorial High School in 1967 and from UW-Eau Claire with a degree in accounting. She married Richard Rau and had two children, Jeffrey and Nicole.

While Kathy embarked on a career as a mother and an accountant, her true passion was serving her church family at Trinity Lutheran Church. She assisted in many areas including the hand bell choir (or “Ding Dongs” as she called them), Sunday Donuts and Fellowship, and the Wedding Coordinator team. She was particularly passionate about the Mission Jamaica Mission trips. She helped in planning multiple fundraisers – everything from selling handmade lefse and apple pies to coordinating silent auctions. She went on many of the Mission Trips to Jamaica – touching the hearts and lives of many children and adults.

Kathy’s personal passion was for anything Disney. She visited Walt Disney World shortly after it opened in 1971. This led to a love affair that included many return trips and passing her passion along to her children. She considered herself a true Disney fanatic.

Kathy is preceded into Heaven by her father Donald Anderson and her baby sister Donna Jean Anderson. She is survived by her mother Elsie (Paul) Falkner of Eau Claire, WI; her daughter Niki (Ryan) Yarrington of Colfax, WI; her son Jeff (Heather) Rau of Celebration, FL; her sister Barb (Mark) Johnson of Chetek, WI; her five grandchildren Erik, Owen & Julia Rau and Ashton & Mason Yarrington; her niece Shannon (Caleb) Riebe and grand-niece Kyra; and many step-brothers, step-sisters, cousins and members of her special church family. And of course Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and the rest of the gang.

The family would like to thank the wonderful doctors and nurses in the oncology department at Mayo Health System and wonderful caregivers at Heritage Assisted Living, Dove Healthcare, and St. Croix Hospice for all they did for Kathy.

Funeral services will take place at 11 am on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1314 E. Lexington Blvd., Eau Claire, WI 54701 with Pastor Kurt Jacobson officiating. Burial will take place in the Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Pigeon Falls on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 pm. Visitation will take place Friday, October 9, 2015 at Fuller Speckien Hulke Funeral Home from 4-7 pm and Saturday morning at the church an hour prior to the service.

Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.fullerspeckienhulke.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Kathy's name to the Trinity Endowment Global Mission Fund.

Fuller Speckien Hulke Funeral Home, 3209 Rudolph Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 is assisting the family with the arrangements.