Kathleen Novy
Edwardsville |
Kathleen ‘Kathie’ Novy, 84, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2025, at Addington Place of Edwardsville Memory Care in Edwardsville, Illinois, with her children Mary and Michael by her side.
The second of her father’s Four Queens was born June 12, 1940, in Anamosa, Iowa, to Charles Niles and Mary (Shifflett) Niles Weber. Kathie was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend to those fortunate enough to cross her path.
Known as ‘the Clown’ in her family, she embraced this nickname. Her lighthearted, often sarcastic humor had you laughing so hard your sides ached, or at the very least, shaking your head with a smile. Growing up with a father who owned a movie theater, Kathie was introduced to the fine arts at a young age. She enjoyed watching movies and, as a young girl, was lucky enough to meet Gene Autry and Dale Rogers. She loved playing dress up and games, reading books, and longed to be a cowgirl. Although that dream didn’t come true, she found adventure through books, learning, and acting. She moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to attend Mount Mercy College and earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, followed later in life by a Master’s Degree from the University of Northern Iowa.
It was in Cedar Rapids that she met her soulmate and husband James Novy, and they married on May 16, 1964, beginning a 60-year love affair! She also began her 35+ year teaching career in Language Arts, Speech, and Drama at Mt. Mercy following her graduation. Between acting in community theater productions, advocating for women’s rights, directing plays, teaching, and attending Iowa Hawkeyes football games, she and Jim started a family, welcoming their daughter, Mary, in 1968 and their son, Michael, in 1970.
Kathie’s inner child and playful nature blossomed even more after becoming a mom. She introduced Mary and Mike to the theater by including them in the plays she directed, starting when they were just four years old. She enjoyed entertaining and hosting themed parties, Sunday picnics with friends at Morgan Creek Park, and swimming at Cherry Hill Pool. Kathie loved shopping, antiquing, and searching for hidden treasures at garage sales and second-hand stores! She especially loved the water, spending most of the summers at Lake McBride and Cherry Hill Pool, basking in the sun and splashing with her kids. Every summer, the family would head to Lake Hubert or Spider Lake, Minnesota, for a week of outdoor fun.
Grandma Novy adored her grandchildren, spoiling them with gifts and with her goofy personality and funny faces that always made them laugh. From trips to Palo Beach or the local splash pad to run around in the water for hours and play on the playground, bringing them to the library to play games (while she read books!), playing with Hot Wheels on the rug, enjoying a competitive game of Yahtzee, and reading Where’s Waldo, Grandma Novy filled their days with joy and love. She introduced her grandsons to the beautiful world of theater; they treasured her stories about Mt. Mercy and the visits to her schools to meet her students that loved her so much. Every night would end with back rubs on the basement floor before bed, tucking them into their sleeping bags. She would sing them the same goodnight lullaby she sang to Mary and Michael before sleeping on the couch next to them to make sure they were safe.
Kathie’s heart grew two sizes more. First, in 2022, with the arrival of her great-grandson, Joseph James, earning her the precious title of Great-Grandma. Then, in 2023, her heart expanded once more when Samuel Jude joined the family. Great-Grandma Novy was overjoyed and cherished every moment spent with her youngest Novys.
After her family, her greatest delight was teaching. As her kids grew older, Mrs. Novy moved from teaching at Mt. Mercy College to Taft Junior High School, and finally to Jefferson Senior High School, where she finished her career in the Cedar Rapids Public Schools. She taught summer classes for the Upward Bound program at Coe College and went back to Mt. Mercy for a time before retiring for good. The creativity, humor, and unpredictability of her students energized and fueled her, and her lively, crazy, and often unconventional style made a lifelong impression on her students. So often former students would stop her when they saw her to say, “Mrs. Novy, because of you I did this” or “I became a teacher because of you.” She was truly an inspiration.
Kathie lived her life for others. Her positive influence, honesty, joy, and zest for life touched the lives of everyone she met. Kathie will forever be remembered by how she made us feel, and we are so blessed to have had her in our lives!
Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Mary; sister Marylou (Niles) Benjamin; brothers-in-law Reverend Father Thomas Williams, Anthony DeSousa, and Allen Conrad; and nephew Vincent Thomas. Surviving are her husband Jim, daughter Mary (Joseph Powell) Novy of St. Petersburg, Florida; son Michael (Julie) Novy of O’Fallon, Illinois; grandchildren Christian (Hannah) Novy of O’Fallon, Illinois; Andrew Novy of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Nicholas Novy, Joseph Novy, and Zachary Novy of O’Fallon, Illinois; great-grandsons Joseph Novy and Samuel Novy of O’Fallon, Illinois; her sisters, Jody Williams of Glendale, California, and Jane Conrad of Monticello, Iowa; and five nephews and a niece.
An avid and prolific reader who devoured five or more books a week for most of her life, Kathie was an ardent supporter of the Cedar Rapids Public Library. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you consider a tribute gift to the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation in memory of Kathleen Novy. You can choose to do this in person or online at https://www.crlibrary.org/foundation/give.
A visitation will be held at Teahen Funeral Home, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Saturday, April 12, 2025 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with a memorial service following at 3 p.m. A private burial will follow at a later date.
Locally, the family was served by Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O’Fallon, IL.
Wolfersberger Funeral Home
