Kathy Zumbach, age 76, of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Naples, Florida, died on June 19, 2026, from cancer.
Born on May 3, 1950, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Bob and Esther (Langskov) Case, Kathy grew up in nearby La Porte City. She filled her days with school activities, fun with friends, and being an advocate for her younger brother, Michael. She graduated from La Porte City High School in 1968.
Kathy attended Iowa State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority and ISU’s pom squad. Her relationship with Steve Zumbach, whom she had met on a high school blind date, flourished while at Iowa State. In 1971, Steve and Kathy were married, launching a life partnership of more than 50 years. She continued her education in a postgraduate program at the University of Iowa, earning a master’s degree in Speech Pathology from the Wendell Johnson School of Speech Pathology. Kathy’s career as a speech pathologist was through the Area Education Agency. After becoming a mother to Stephanie and Matt, she shifted her focus to family life…