Kathryn Ann Schaar (1941-2026)

Kathryn “Kathy” Ann Schaar, beloved mother, grandmother, friend and community member, passed away on May 4th, 2026, in Rapid City, South Dakota. A woman of boundless warmth, sharp wit, and unshakeable faith, Kathy lived a life defined by love for the people fortunate enough to find themselves in her orbit.

Born on December 14th, 1941, in San Francisco, California, to Daniel and Irma Faye “Scott” Pavich, Kathy was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and served as a big sister to three younger siblings: Judi, Mark, and Mike. San Francisco would remain a place close to her heart for the rest of her life — a city whose spirit of openness and vitality seemed to provide a natural home for her own gregarious nature.

After completing her training as a flight attendant, Kathy joined Trans World Airlines in the early 1960s, working both domestic and international routes during one of the most glamorous eras in commercial aviation. Kathy always would reminisce about her “Grand Adventures” during this part of her life, and one day fate intervened on one of those flights: a young Eastern Airlines pilot named Dennis “Denny” Schaar happened to be aboard, and the rest is history. They were married on April 23rd, 1968, in Alexandria, Virginia, beginning a partnership that would last over 56 years and take them to a variety of places in the world. The young couple spent their early years in the Washington, DC area before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia, where Eastern Airlines' largest hub was based. It was there that their family took shape — Dan arriving in 1977 and Matt in 1981 — and where Kathy came into her own as the heart of the Schaar household.

Kathy continued flying until the arrival of their children, at which point she channeled every bit of that same energy and dedication into raising her family. She was the quintessential mom: shuttling Dan and Matt to soccer, baseball, basketball, and Boy Scouts, enforcing curfews with loving firmness, and holding down the fort with remarkable grace during the many nights and weekends Denny was away on trips. If there was a crisis to manage, Kathy managed it. She took care of her family and her home with her signature blend of sass and unconditional love. Kathy was unquestionably the glue that held the Schaar household together.

In 1982, the family moved to Denny’s hometown of Rapid City, South Dakota and it quickly became Kathy's true home as well. She threw herself into the community with the same enthusiasm she brought to everything else, becoming a devoted and active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church for over forty years. Her volunteer work at the church was a source of deep joy and purpose, and her presence there was a gift to all who knew her. She had a rare and beautiful ability to make people feel seen, welcomed, and loved — whether at home, at church, or in her final days as a resident of St. Martin's, where her spirit of warmth and community never dimmed.

Kathy is survived by her children Dan (Monique) and Matt (Stephanie), her grandchildren Carly, Philip, Arden, and Sylvan, her sister Judi, her brother Mike (Lori), and many beloved nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Dennis, her brother Mark, and her parents Daniel and Scott. She will be missed dearly, but her family takes comfort in knowing that she is now reunited with Denny on her final Grand Adventure.

A service to celebrate Kathy's life will be held on Saturday, July 11th, 2026, at 11 A.M. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rapid City. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in her honor.