Catherine Sosinski

Catherine (Sachen) Sosinski formerly of Kansas City, KS and Mission, KS  passed away on October 10th at Santa Marta Retirement Community in Olathe, Kansas at the age of 97 after a very brief illness.
Catherine is survived by her sons Richard (Aynsley), Lawrence KS, Tim (Geralyn) K.C,KS, Dave (Teresa) K.C.,MO. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years Frank Sosinski. She also was the proud grandmother of nine and a great grandmother to nine. She was preceded in death by her parents: Izador G. Sachen and Katie Ritmanich Sachen, her four brothers - Ed Sachen, Charles ”Chili” Sachen, Joe Sachen, Richard Sachen and her five sisters – Mary Mikuls, Elizabeth Clements,  Veronica “Ronnie” Thomas, Anne Clements and Frances Shamet. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, October 16, 2023 at 11:00 AM, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 409 N 15th St Kansas City, KS.  A brief visitation will precede the mass beginning at 9:00 am at the church. Memorials may be made to Catholic Community Hospice, 16201 W 95th St Suite 220, Lenexa, KS 66219.

Catherine was born at her home on May 12, 1926. Her house, as many on the homes on Strawberry Hill, consisted of 740 square feet of living space and twenty five feet of property frontage. The distance between homes on the hill was a generous five feet. In addition, the “bathroom” was located out back in the shed. When asked where did everyone sleep; her answer would come back quickly “everywhere”. Her parents were immigrants from Croatia and Krainea. Her father was a laborer for American Can Co. and her mother a housewife, translator, laundress, and church volunteer. 

Amenities were in short supply during the depression and dust bowl. She would tell her sons, “your father had toys, I had a rag doll”. In middle age she could not resist purchasing cute dolls to place around the house.  Her mother died of cancer when she was only nine years of age and she was raised by her father and her older siblings.  In order to cope with this potentially harsh environment she developed her abilities that served her well for 97 years. She was generous with what she had. She had a great sense of humor that endeared her to all.  She made friends quickly and learned to find relationships and nurture them and appreciate the goodness in everyone. Living so near to one another on The Hill and without her mother, she developed sisterly relationships with: Annie, Dorothy and Mary Miscevic, Angeline Modrcin, Sophie Vukas, Bernice Modrcin and Mary Paver.  In spite of a 70 year age difference she developed a very close friendship with one of her care providers, Shelby. Shelby was a dear source of comfort and joy to Catherine during the past eighteen months.

Like many of the folks living on Strawberry Hill she her future husband Frank Sosinski while watching a softball game at 5th Street Park. They raised three sons in Kansas City, KS.

Catherine attended grade school at St. John The Baptist Catholic School in K.C., KS and she attended Wyandotte High School. She was devoted to her Catholic faith. She belonged to many charitable societies. She was a charter Member of the Daughters of Isabella, and was active in her parishes’ Rosary Sodality. She belonged to the St. Lawrence guild for many years, through which she visited the sick and elderly and presented them with blankets which she and her friends has crocheted.  She also enjoyed playing cards with the retired nuns in the community. 

She was a church lady at heart. She was probably most at home in the church or chapel. For years she attended daily mass at Santa Marta until her legs could no longer support her.  As a youngster she would attend orthodox services at St. George Serbian Orthodox church with her neighbors and they would accompany her to St. John the Baptist for Sunday mass. 

As a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother she had an innate ability to communicate and relate to the infants, toddlers and small children. She was a natural with the little ones. She spoke often of losing her mother in her childhood, particularly in her final years, and it was clear she grieved her entire life.  Her loss seemed to motivate her to be a devoted mother and grandmother. 

She and her husband Frank enjoyed life after his retirement from Deluxe Check printers by spending time with family and friends.  Catherine was appreciative of her longevity by often lamented “being the last one is no picnic”. 

The past two years she was particularly devoted to Tom Sellick, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, never missing “Blue Bloods” or the Kansas City Chiefs.

In 2022 she became seriously ill and was given the last rites. A year later the priest was visiting her on Easter Sunday in 2023. She told him with a smile and a touch of sarcasm “You know it was a year ago that you gave me the last rites….and I’m still here”.  Her positive attitude throughout her aging and infirmities was a source of inspiration to all who spent time with her in her final years.

Her sons wish to express their appreciation to the staff at Santa Marta for their care in Independent Living, Memory Care, and Acute Care.  Mom rarely referred to her support team as nurses or therapists, or dietitians but more precisely as her friends. She was always asking how they were doing before they could ask how she was doing.  She will be missed by all who knew her.