Kathleen Worzalla

Kathleen “Kitty” Worzalla of Ripon, Wis., spent her lifetime writing or lecturing about writing. She died Feb. 9 at the age of 65.

Born in Fond du Lac, WI, Kitty was the daughter of Frank E. and Dorothy (Lowe) Worzalla, both of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her best friend and house-mate, Helen Goodrich, and many friends. Originally from Neenah, Wis., Kitty started her journalism career as a reporter for the “Ripon Commonwealth” while a student at Ripon College in the late 1940s. She earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology at Ripon in 1951, and later did graduate work in philosophy at Northwestern University. Immediately out of college, she served as an assistant in the public relations office at Ripon College and later served as acting director of public relations and as alumni secretary there. She continued a career in public relations spending four years as director of public information at Rockford College in Illinois where she was also adviser to the student yearbook and newspaper.

In the 1950s, Kitty served as the Menasha editor for the “Twin-City News-Record” in Neenah-Menasha. In 1960, Kitty established the Neenah-Menasha office of the “Oshkosh Daily Northwestern” where she served as editor for 20 years.

A highly creative writer, she won the national Inland Daily Press Association Award for general reporting in 1977, for a series of stories she prepared on pollution and cleanup of the Fox River. A frequent contributor of feature stories in recent years to the “Ripon College Magazine,” Kitty again wrote for the “Ripon Commonwealth Press” and for a summer served as editor of the “Green Laker.”

In addition to freelance writing in recent years, Kitty served on the Ripon College Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1979-85, and served as a class agent for Ripon from 1981-91, writing to her classmates and helping them again feel a part of the college. She also helped organize two Ripon College Ver Adest reunions, celebrating elaborate college performances of student written and produced musical revues which she had helped write as a student. As an undergraduate at Ripon, she also served on the “College Days,” the student newspaper, and was a member of the Women’s Self Government Association and the religious round table.

In addition to her Ripon College activities, Kitty served on the marketing committee of the Ripon Revitalization Corporation for several years. She was also a member of Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists, Pi Delta Epsilon honorary journalistic fraternity and Zonta International.

In 1986, Kitty donated a collection of World War II memorabilia to the Ripon Historical Society, newspaper clippings, books, posters, and about 30 scrapbooks which had taken her a lifetime to gather. An avid reader and music buff, Kitty also accumulated a collection of more than 4,000 books and thousands of record albums along with years and years of magazine subscriptions.

No services are planned. Memorials may be directed to Ripon College for a book fund for the library.