Katherine Ann Hilary Kade (34) of Harrisburg, PA, formerly of Effingham

Katherine Ann Hilary Kade, 34, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, formerly of Effingham, Illinois, died unexpectedly of a pulmonary embolism at her home on Monday, March 25, 2024.

The family will be holding a private family service for Katie, with Bauer Funeral Home of Effingham handling arrangements. Memorials in her name may be made to the Pennsylvania Coalition To Advance Respect, a domestic violence crisis organization in Harrisburg with which Katie was affiliated as a board member and trainer.

Katie was born on March 4, 1990 in Fort Worth, Texas. Her adoptive parents, Christopher Kade and Jo Ann McNaughton-Kade of Effingham, braved a plane trip to pick up Katie 18 days later and flew back into the teeth of a freak spring snowstorm in St. Louis to bring her home.

Katie attended Effingham Unit 40 schools, graduating in Effingham High School Class of 2008. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois in 2012. Katie worked for various domestic abuse and child abuse organizations in the Harrisburg area over the last several years, serving as an advocate for children, a professional trainer in how to prevent, assess and respond to domestic violence, and also as a board member of these same organizations.

Katie completed work for her master’s degree in social work at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and was due to graduate on May 10. She had been accepted to the Ph.D. in social work program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and was making preparations to move to Cleveland when she died.

Katie is survived by her parents; siblings Patrick (Anne) Mansfield of Mahomet, Illinois, Stephen (Ron) McNaughton of Effingham, Kevin Kade of Effingham, Christopher (Madison) Kade of Oklahoma City, Amanda (Andy) Kade of Tinley Park, Illinois, Rachel (Nick) Straubhaar of Barneveld, Wisconsin, Mary Allison (Jason) Errek of Aurora, Illinois, Claire Danielle (Nick) Arthur of Effingham, Alexandra Kade of Brownstown, Illinois, John Joseph (Jeanne) Kade of Denver, Colorado, and Elliott Kade of Kansas City, Missouri. Katie also has nieces and nephews, Ross Mansfield, Ethan Mansfield, Bryden Kade, Lylah Kade, Hudson Straubhaar, Ava Arthur, Damien Alton, Jude Alton, and baby girl on the way Alton.

Katie touched many lives for the better in her all-too-brief sojourn on earth and will be desperately missed by her family and friends.