Katharina Bales, 96, of Blue Springs, passed away Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Parkway Senior Living in Blue Springs.
Katharina was born on February 1, 1930, in Zwiesel, West Germany, the daughter of Franz and Maria Kopp. She was united in marriage to Jimmie Roe Bales of Hardin on May 24, 1954; he preceded her in death on November 3, 2012.
Survivors include: daughter, Katharina “Kathy” Babich (Michael Linhart) of Independence; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jerry Mac Bales and Janise Buhrmeister of Richmond.
In addition to her parents and husband, Katharina was preceded in death by her son, Jimmie Roe Bales, II.
Katharina was raised and educated in the area of her birth in Germany. She learned to speak English at an early age, a skill that would serve her well while working at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Force Base, where she often helped bridge the language barrier between the German people and the American servicemen stationed there.
It was there that Katharina’s life would forever change. While working in the dining hall, she met Jimmie, a young Korean War veteran and small-town Missouri man who was a long way from home. What began as a chance meeting between two people from different corners of the world grew into a lifelong love story. When the time came for Jimmie to return to the United States, he rather matter-of-factly told Katharina, “I have some papers for you to sign.” Those papers, as it turned out, were marriage papers. Jimmie had asked Katharina to leave the only home she had ever known and make a new life with him across the ocean.
Katharina and Jimmie were married in Germany, and shortly thereafter, the young couple made their way to the United States to begin their life together. They first made their home in Hardin, Missouri, before later settling in the Kansas City area. Jimmie worked as a distributor for R.B. Rice Sausage Company in Kansas City, while Katharina devoted herself to making a home and raising their family. Katharina and Jimmie also shared a love for dancing, and some of their sweetest moments were spent simply dancing together in their kitchen.
Though she came from Germany and Jimmie from a little Missouri town, together they built a life rooted in love, family, and home. Katharina was a force of nature in a small package-tiny but mighty, with a personality and determination much bigger than her stature. Her home was a place where no visitor was allowed to leave hungry; if you came through her door, you could count on being fed. Caring for others was simply part of who she was.
Katharina also had a great love for flowers, especially roses, and a tender heart for animals. She found happiness in the simple things that made a house a home-family gathered around, something good to eat, flowers in bloom, and an animal nearby to love.
From her home in Germany to the life she built in Missouri, Katharina’s was a life filled with love, devotion, and family, and her memory will be dearly cherished by all who were fortunate enough to know and love her.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the donor’s choice in memory of Katharina. They can be left at or mailed to Thurman Funeral Home, 507 East Main Street-P.O. Box 190, Richmond, MO 64085.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in Hardin Cemetery, Hardin, MO. Arrangements are entrusted to Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond. Please remember to share your memories of Katharina with the family by visiting www.thurmanfuneralhome.com.
Source: KMZU, The Farm
