Kathleen Cabela

Kathleen Cabela, 75, of Chappell passed away Friday afternoon, December 29, 2023 in Julesburg.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 5, 2024 at Berea Lutheran Church near Chappell with Pastor Scotty Ray officiating.  Burial will follow in the Chappell Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the club house of the Chappell Golf Course after the burial.

Visitation will be held 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Thursday at the Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home in Chappell. 

Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home and Cremations in Chappell is serving the Cabela family.

Memorials in Kathie’s name can be made to the Berea Lutheran Church or the donor’s choice.

She was born in Lewellen, Nebraska, to Eldon and Genene (Olson) Carlson on July 15, 1948, and grew up on a farm between Oshkosh and Chappell with her brothers, Max and Doug.  She attended a one-room schoolhouse until eighth grade, and graduated from Chappell High School in 1966.  After high school, Kathie attended Saint Luke’s Presbyterian in Denver in Denver, Colorado where she trained in radiology.

She returned to Nebraska and married her first husband Roger Stutzman on June 6, 1968, and they raised two boys, Jason and Tyler. Kathie was later remarried to Jerry Cabela on October 4, 1997 in Chappell. After their marriage, Kathie could be found working in the furniture store, decorating their farmhouse, and spending time with Jerry enjoying the local restaurants. She faithfully attended Berea Lutheran Church for nearly all of her life and was proud to have played the organ there for 50 years.

Kathie loved Elvis Presley, racing cars, cheerleading, houseplants, decorating and cleaning, dressing up, caring for the elderly, and working hard especially with the family wheat harvest.  Somehow, her sun tea tasted better than all others.  She was proud of her Swedish heritage, of her kids, grandkids, and stepfamily, and was fiercely protective and encouraging of her family. She loved spending time with her brothers, partying with her many friends and was especially close with her cousins, Lana McFee and Jane Starostka.

Kathie was preceded in death by her parents, her step-father Keith Wright, and her granddaughter Ava Stutzman.

She is survived by her husband Jerry of Chappell; her two brothers, Max (Ann) of Longmont, CO and Doug (Tonia) of Chappell; her children, Jason (Krista) Stutzman of Fort Collins, CO; Tyler (Candy) Stutzman of Wichita, KS; and grandchildren Nate, Olivia, Josh, Rachel, Maya, Zane, and Maddox, and her step-children Mike (Jessica) Cabela of Chappell, NE; Pat (Stacy) Cabela of Kearney, NE; and step-grandchildren Ben, Catelyn (CJ), Jackson, Jayden, Tysen; and step-great grandson Jerry.