Kathleen ‘Kathy/Katie’ Koss Ehlers, age 61, of Ava, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on July 16, 2023. She was born October 9, 1961, to Nancy (Clevette) and Clayton Koss in Grand Marais, Minnesota, where she graduated from Cook County High School in 1980.

She worked at the local hospital as a CNA and also trained in as a dispatcher at the Cook County Law Enforcement Center, under the legendary Dolly Johnson.

Katie moved to Southern Illinois in 1984 and became a 9-1-1 dispatcher for Jackson County Sheriff and Murphysboro Police Department until her retirement in 2020 after many years of service. She received her degree at John Logan University, Marion, Ilinois, in Criminal Justice and Psychology.

While working in Law Enforcement, Katie met a police officer, Curt Ehlers; this friendship blossomed into romance, and they married in May 1987. They shared many years of memory-making marriage before he passed away in 2022.

Katie was an animal lover and always doted on her pets. In her spare time, Katie enjoyed making quilts, flower gardening, candle and jewelry making, online games, and shopping at second-hand stores. She had a knack for making great craft things out of bargains. She was a red head and had the feisty personality to go with it. She was an excellent dispatcher and had the ability to keep calm in stressful situations. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Katie was preceded in death by her husband Curt, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Larry and Betty Ehlers, grandparents Nassau and Grace Koss, Carrie Savage and Lubet and Louise Clevette.

Katie is survived by her parents, Clayton and Nancy Koss of Duluth MN; siblings, Colleen Koss, Duluth MN, and Jerry Koss, Grand Forks, ND; nieces and nephews, Joelle Schmid (Justin), Duluth MN, Clayton James (CJ) Koss, Duluth MN; Samuel (Sam) Koss, Cloquet MN; Jeremiah Smith, and Samantha Smith; sister-inlaw Linda Smith (Jerry), Ava IL; grand-nephews Dylan Schmid, Cooper Schmid, and Archer Koss; grand-niece Amelia Koss; dear friends Mary and Jill. Katie is also survived by numerous cousins and other extended family members and countless friends.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Katie at 11am on Saturday, October 7, 2023, at Gramercy Park Cooperative, 4072 Haines Road, Duluth, Minnesota, 55811. We invite you to join us to honor her life with memories and stories. Please let us know if you will be attending, so we can be prepared.

Call 218-525-8371.