Katherine Linn Rolf 

Obituary

Katherine “Kathy” (Klas) Rolf, age 79, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Born in Worthington, Minnesota, she moved with her parents to Fort Wayne, Indiana at a young age, where she resided for the remainder of her life. Kathy lived a life firmly rooted in faith, family, and love.
She attended South Side High School in Fort Wayne, where she met her husband, Ted Rolf. High school sweethearts, Kathy and Ted shared 56 years of marriage.
Kathy was a graduate of Hanover College, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. Following her graduation, she returned to Fort Wayne, where she dedicated herself to teaching and raising her family. She took great joy in being actively involved in her children’s lives, volunteering in their schools, serving as a scout leader, and supporting their academic and extracurricular activities.
Kathy devoted 18 years to teaching Bible classes through the Associated Churches’ Weekday Religious Education Program, serving students within Fort Wayne Community Schools and East Allen County Schools. In 1998, she was appointed Director of the program and served in that role until her retirement in 2010. Under her leadership, approximately 7,000 students annually received instruction centered on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
She found great joy in her role as a grandmother and considered her nine grandchildren to be among her greatest blessings. A cherished family tradition was “Camp Gage,” an annual summer gathering at Lake Gage that Kathy lovingly planned and hosted for her grandchildren.
Kathy possessed a strong creative spirit and was an accomplished seamstress. She enjoyed crafting and decorating and was known for her thoughtful generosity, including sewing custom sweatshirts for children in her neighborhood. She remained physically active throughout her life, playing tennis for many years before later discovering a passion for pickleball, which also provided meaningful time with her grandchildren.
Kathy will be remembered for her steadfast faith, compassionate heart, dedication to service, and her unwavering devotion to her family.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Ted Rolf; her children, T.D. (Jennifer) Rolf of Carlsbad, California, Dr. Ryan (Elaine) Rolf of Fort Wayne, and Kate (Pat) Kennedy of Nashville, Tennessee; grandchildren, Tyler, Braxton, Reagan, Lucy, Theo, Eden, PJ, Ryan, and Keegan; and her sister, Ann Forsyth (Gary) of Cave Creek, Arizona.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Janet and Donald Klas.

Private family services will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Parkview Hospice, 1900 Carew Street, Suite 6, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805, or The Cedars, c/o Amanda Duggan, 14409 Sunrise Court, Leo, Indiana 46765.
FairHaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services has been entrusted with arrangements.