Kathryn Joan Schmutz

Kathryn Joan Schmutz (known to all as Joan, pronounced “Jo-Anne”) passed away on July 23, 2024. She was born on January 5, 1936, to Albert and Grace Legler of Robinson, Kansas. Joan graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Physical Therapy in 1957.

In 1957, she moved to California after meeting her future husband the previous summer. On December 23, 1957, she married Henry “Hank” Schmutz. While Hank was in the Army, they lived in San Antonio, TX, and Arlington, VA, before returning to Vallejo, CA, in 1960. Joan worked at the Kaiser Rehabilitation Center in Vallejo. Their only child, Jimmy, was born in 1962 and predeceased her.

Joan attended Sonoma State, earning her elementary teaching credential. She taught in the Vallejo School District until moving to Sonoma County in 1974. Together with friends, they built their home in rural Penngrove. Joan was an active member of Faith Presbyterian Church in Rohnert Park, serving as both an elder and a deacon.

She was a charter member of the Rohnert Park – Cotati Friends of the Library, formed in 1976, where she managed book sales and the Friends bookstore in the Rohnert Park library for many years.

Joan traveled to Europe and Morocco five times and, with her husband Hank, traveled across the U.S. with their fifth wheel RV, visiting 49 of the 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska (not with the fifth wheel!).

She is survived by her husband Henry Schmutz, as well as nieces and nephews Kristi LeFever, Sylvia Frias, and Nikki Olson of Oregon, Buddy Kihm of Colorado, Meredith Serra of California, and Ted Kihm and Nancy Jackson of Kansas, along with many grandnieces and grandnephews.