Kathy Ose, age 53, of Mahnomen, MN, died Wednesday, May 2, 2012 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident outside of Mahnomen.

Kathy Jo Johnson was born November 7, 1958 in Benson, MN, the daughter of Daryl and Laurel (Buckner) Johnson. During the 4th grade, her family moved from Benson to the Mahnomen area. Kathy attended Mahnomen Public School and graduated with the class of 1976. Following graduation, she attended Detroit Lakes Technical College and received her LPN. Kathy began working at Dakota Hospital in Fargo, ND.

On October 27, 1979 Kathy was united in marriage to Larry Ose Jr. at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen. The couple made their home in Fargo and Kathy continued to work at Dakota Hospital. The following spring they moved to the Ose Farm, began farming and raising their own family. Kathy worked at Fair Meadow Nursing Home in Fertile until the birth of their daughter, at which time she began doing daycare from their home. When her children became older, Kathy went to work for Tri-Valley Housekeeping. A job that was way more than just a job to Kathy for the past 15+ years. She forged many friendships with her clients and they became like family to her.


To know Kathy was to love her. She had a wonderful personality with a huge heart and loving spirit. She would always put the needs of others before herself. Even in the event of her death, Kathy was able to carry on this care and compassion with her desire to be an organ donor and better the lives of many different individuals she would never know.

Kathy was an active member of Ness Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and was part of the ladies aid. She was always ready for company and opened her home with great hospitality. Baking, cooking, canning, going to the lake and ice fishing were all things Kathy enjoyed but one of her true passions was taking care of all her flower gardens. She would carefully plant and nurture them every Spring and fully embrace their true beauty when in full bloom. She also adored and cherished her grandchildren and all the time she was able to spend with them. Kathy would often read books to them; dance and sing with them and most recently brought the oldest grandson, Jack, in on the art of making homemade pizza, a specialty of hers that everyone loved.


Surviving Kathy are her husband, Larry Ose Jr. of Mahnomen; son, Adam (Shannon) Ose and their daughter, Lauren, Moorhead, MN; daughter, Lindsay (Steven) Varty and their children, Jack and Alec, Moorhead; her parents, Daryl and Laurel Johnson, Twin Valley, MN; mother-in-law, Clarice Ose, Gary, MN; sisters: Cheryl (Mark) Hagy, Gary, Darla (Joel) Aagenes, Moorhead, Linette (Kyle) Weinzirl, Chugiak, AK, and Judy (Gary) Kalinoski, Gary; brother, Larry Johnson, Twin Valley; sisters-in-law, Linda (Mark) Engelstad, St. Paul, MN, and Mary Jane Doak, Crookston, MN, Julie (Wayne) Oertwich, Crookston, and Sandy (Chris) Mjelde, Beltrami, MN; brothers-in-law, Brian (Nicole) Ose, Mahnomen, and Keith (Angie) Ose, Harwood, ND; many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandparents; father-in-law, Larry Ose Sr.; nephew, Chris Doak; niece, Ashley Oertwich and brother-in-law, Gary Doak.

Funeral Services will be held Monday, May 7, 2012 at 11 am at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen.

Visitation will be held Sunday, May 6, 2012 from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 6:30 pm at Ness Lutheran Church in rural Gary, MN.