Kathryn Chao

Age 64 of Chisago City passed away on April 20, 2019 after a courageous 2.5 year battle with cancer.

Kathryn grew up in Mendota Hts, MN graduating from Henry Sibley HS, then joined the US Army. She married Robert Litchfield, raising two sons on the East Coast before moving back to MN. She met and shared the rest of her life with fiance Michael Franssen.

Kathryn believed in freedom & human rights. She was in the Army for 3 years and loved translating Morse code she learned while serving. She had a real passion for music ministry, singing Barbershop and Sweet Adelines quartet as well as chorus singing. She had a gift for remembering everything she read and absolutely loved reading. Kathryn was the best at baking from scratch and enjoyed teaming up to cook great meals for family & friends. She loved listening to people and being there for them. She learned to live her religion and received the power of laying on of hands. Believing in the power of what you speak out loud, the body will do. She lived her faith not just practiced it. Be responsible for your own actions. Kathryn would go nuts to travel, and do things off the spur of the moment. Orienteering, loved giving directions around the home plus be a co-pilot and pick the places she wanted to stop.

Preceded in death by father, Thaddeus Chao, and mother, Therese C. Chao; siblings, Mary and Stephen.

Survived by sons, Mark (Tammy) Litchfield and their children Matthew, Sebastian, Rachel, Leah, Xavier and Evelyn of Stephens City, VA, John (Stacy) Litchfield and their children Whitney, Ashley, and Dawson of Westminster, MD; siblings, Eugene P. (Debra) Chao of Austin, MN, Eileen F. Chao of Austin, MN, Elizabeth A. (Wally) Spittle of Mendota Hts, MN and their children, Warren Spittle of Chicago, IL, Brett (Ashley) Spittle and Bridgette (Mick) O'Connell, Sheila M. (Robert) Bohrer of Cosmos, MN and their daughters, Therese Grittner of John Island, SC and Bonnie Grittner of Duluth, MN, David M. (Jill) Chao of Austin, MN, and their daughters, Mary Claire Chao of East Greenwich, RI and Sarah (Matt Menzenski) Chao of Kansas City, MO.

Also survived by fiancAC., Michael Franssen; children, Charity and her children, Elijah, Nathaniel & Elizabeth with their children, Lucas & Nicholas, Michael B & Esmeralda Franssen and their children, Jose, Sophia & Luis "Willie", Rose Redbird & Jonathan Kruger and their children, Jaxson & Samuel, Mindy & Nate Franssen with their children, Joanna & Ashton.

Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM Thursday, April 25th at Church of St. Peter, 1250 South Shore Drive, Forest Lake, with visitation beginning one hour prior. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred.