Kathryn Sue den Heeten
September 4, 1954 - August 6, 2013

Kathryn Sue den Heeten, age 58, of Mt. Pleasant passed away on Tuesday, August 6, 2013, at her home.

Cremation has taken place. Those wishing to remember Kathryn through a memorial donation are asked to consider the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Peter M. Wege Guest House, 129 Jefferson Avenue S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or HopeLodgeWestMI@cancer.org. Envelopes will also be available at Clark Family Funeral Chapel & Cremation Service.

Kathryn was born on September 4, 1954, in Frankfort, the daughter of Arthur and Nina (Swicegood) McConnell. She was married to Charles den Heeten. She earned a Master’s Degree in English from Central Michigan University and later, while working full-time, she earned an MBA from Capella University, specializing in Enrollment Management. She was currently employed as the Dean of Student Services at Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College (SCTC), where she began working 20 years earlier as the English instructor. Kathryn served on three separate self-study teams at SCTC, and thus played an integral role in the college gaining its full accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. At work, she was known to be caring but also a consummate professional.

Kathryn was passionate about her family, her role in higher education, literature - especially poetry, travel, and art. She had begun to paint in recent years, was a lively member of a local book club, traveled to Berlin and Dublin, among other places, and enjoyed sweepstaking. She was very kind, extremely witty, and generous to a fault. She celebrated the achievements of family and friends, and though she herself had had a book of poetry published, she remained quite modest. Kathryn’s many friends and colleagues feel her loss deeply, as does her heartbroken family.

Kathryn is survived by her spouse, Charles den Heeten; her children, Maria (Jason) Whitmer of Newberry and Patrick McConnell of Mt. Pleasant; her grandchildren, Margaret, Steven, and Lance Raglin, Zachary Sims, and Orin McConnell; sister, Patrina Nickson of Elberta; and nephew, Richard Nickson.

Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents.

A Memorial Picnic for Kathryn is being held Saturday, August 17, 2013, at Chipp-A-Waters Park in the pavilion from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Everyone who plans to attend is asked to bring a dish to pass.

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