Katherine Hunter Cortner

Kathy was born on December 22, 1949 in Mason City, IA to Leslie and Marian Hunter. She grew up in Forest City, IA where she graduated from high school and then went on to Faith Baptist Bible College where she made many life-long friends and met her husband, Dave. She and Dave were married after his junior year and Kathy went on to heaven just 8-months shy of reaching their 50th wedding anniversary. Kathy was focused on being a stay at home mom while the kids were growing up and then later was employed at Von Maur in West Des Moines, IA and at Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, IA. In 1999, they moved to Cherry Hill, NJ where they joined the staff at Bethel Church. Kathy was always active in several areas of ministry. In 2005, she began her own business, KRC Interior Transformations. Kathy enjoyed the work immensely and did well decorating and staging of homes for wonderful clients, many who became friends.

She was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, but after surgeries, chemotherapy, and medical treatments for 5 years, she was in total remission. She enjoyed great health and was very…very active - sometimes walking 4 to 8 miles per day in addition to working her decorating business. She was active with her family… attending sports events, family celebrations, and making holidays very special.

In 2016, Kathy was re-diagnosed with metastasized breast cancer and began non-stop treatments of varying kinds, yet she continued to be very active. Often people had no idea she was fighting cancer. In May, God supernaturally gave her strength to help prepare for and be in attendance for graduations of two grandchildren within two days of each other.

Soon after those graduations, in early summer, her battle became more intense and rugged…tougher treatments, loss of hair and fatigue, which lead her to slowly back out of her business and ministries. About four weeks ago the battle became overwhelming and, after a frank talk with doctors, the family agreed with Kathy’s desire and moved her to hospice care at home. On Saturday, September 7, 2019 she quietly slipped into God’s presence just before midnight.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, and a sister. She is survived by her husband, Dave; her children, Angela Terpstra, Heidi (Jason) Holdridge, and Brady (Kristen) Cortner; her grandchildren, Jackson, Blake and Gabrielle Terpstra, Kami, Aly, Taylor, Joshua and Caleb Holdridge, and Emersyn, Abby and Judah Cortner; her sister, Diana Coons; and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway with viewing and visitation on Friday, September 13 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the funeral on Saturday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. with burial following at Highland Memory Gardens.

Memorial contributions can be made to Bethel Baptist Church, 1720 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 or The Timothy Initiative Mission, 2627 Leighton Ridge Dr., Wake Forest, NC 27587.

Condolences at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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