Kathleen Leavy, 85, of Marshalltown, died early Friday morning, February 26^th, at her home. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 3^rd, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Fr. Jim miller as celebrant. She will be laid to rest in the Riverside Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with a 7:00 p.m. Rosary/Vigil service. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com.Kathleen Leavy (nee Teeling) 85, Marshalltown, Iowa was born in Dublin Ireland October 6, 1924 and grew up with nine siblings.  In 1945 she married Tom Leavy and began her long career as mother and homemaker. In 1955 Kathleen and Tom immigrated to the United States, making the long and arduous trip by passenger ship to New York and then by train to Marshalltown, with six young children in tow.  Within a few more years Kathleen found herself the mother of 10 children, working the years away as cook, housekeeper, laundress, seamstress, paramedic, guidance counselor and comforter for her kids. When the youngest was in school Kathleen was able to get out of the house and went to work at the Iowa Veterans home for a number of years.  She lost Tom in 2006 and had to go on without him.  At the time of her death she was busy making an Irish kilt for her great grandson to wear on St. Patrick’s Day.   She was preceded in death by Tom, her husband of 60 years, her daughter Greta Stonewall and sons Thomas Leavy and Robert Leavy. She is survived by her children – Nuala (Greg) Smith, Larry (Robin) Leavy, John Leavy, Brian Leavy, Emmet (Jennifer) Leavy, Richard Leavy and Tracy Leavy.  Kathleen is survived by 32 grandchildren and 27 great grand children.  She is also survived by siblings in Ireland, England and South Africa, in-laws Frank (Eileen) Leavy and their children and the children of Jim (Nancy) Leavy. Kathleen had a keen intellect, a quick wit and a wonderful skill for calming angry people and making the unhappy laugh again. She enjoyed creative writing and poetry.  She was central in many great conversations and discussions, from James Joyce’s “Ulysses” to Donald Kaul’s latest column.  Many happy times were had with her over endless cups of tea in her kitchen.  She instilled in her children a fierce pride in their Irish heritage. She was our mother and she was there for us to the very last day of her life and we miss her terribly.  But she gave herself to us and we will carry her with us the rest of our lives.   

Though I am old with wandering

Through hollow lands and hilly lands,

I will find out where she has gone,

And kiss her lips and take her hands;

And walk among long dappled grass,

And pluck till time and times are done

The silver apples of the moon,

The golden apples of the sun. 

By: W.B. Yeats