Edith Kathryn Verhasselt was born on the family farm at Cherry Creek near Sioux Pass, Montana to Leo and Helen Hackley on September 4, 1934, where she was raised on the family farm near Cherry Creek Church. Kathryn had three sisters, Charlotte, Rose and Mary; and one brother, Bill.

Kathryn married her sweetheart Jim Watts on June 6, 1956, and together they had five children: Larry, Bruce, Carol, Doug and Linda.

An LPN, Kathy worked mostly nights for over 50 years, snuggling babies (including a few of her own grandkids) before she retired.

Kathryn enjoyed reading romance novels and cooking family meals, especially on holidays, and gardening. She had her children help with the daily chores to instill good work ethics like baking, pulling weeds and milking.... “Work before pleasure” was always her comment when asking to go with friends somewhere.

Later in life, Kathryn fell in love with Fred Verhasselt and they were married on July 4, 2009. Kathryn welcomed Fred’s five children into her life: Connie and her children Layne and Joylene, Victor and his children Lacey and Tia, Laura (Stephen) and their son Stephen, Martin, and L' Fred.

Kathy passed away on Saturday July 26, 2025, at the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Glendive, MT surrounded with the love of her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents Leo and Helen Hackley; her stepmom Alice Hackley; baby sister Charlotte (only 8 years old); brother Bill Hackley; sisters Rose (Arnold) Thiel and Mary Brown; and sister-in-law Aileen Hackley.

Kathy is lovingly remembered by her five children Larry (Melodie), Bruce (Karen), Carol (George), Doug (Elisa), and Linda (Marty); sister-in-law Betty Hackley; brother-in-law John Bud Brown; grandchildren Stephanie (Andrew) Finsaas, Jessica (Chad) Burns, Lael (Kelly) Mills, Liberty (Jacob) Flores, Holly Herman, Kyle Smith, Blaine (Kayla) Watts, Justus (Karin) Thorgramson, Adriel (Jessica) Watts, Nick Watts, and Micheal Watts; great-grandchildren Gracie, Ellie, Zoie, and Brantley Burns, Charlotte Thorgramson, Grace, Benjamin, and Jackson Mills, Caspian, Presley, and Rylan Watts, Lexi (Thomas) Shahin, McKenzee and Quentin Emly, Reese Smith, and Andrew Herman; and great-great-grandson Mathew Herman; along with numerous other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and other beloved family members.