Obituary
Obituary of Kristine Karol Ketcham
Please share a memory of Kristine to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.
Kristine Karol Ketcham
January 22, 1952 – December 21, 2021
Kristine Karol Ketcham, 69, of Niles, passed away unexpectedly but of natural causes at her home on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.
Kris was born on January 22, 1952, to the late Harold and Dorothy Myrtle (Lee) Kinne in Michigan City, Indiana. Kris, or “Growl” as she was known by her grandchildren, was one of eight children. She graduated salutatorian from Galien High School. Kris worked as a machinist, supervisor, and foreman for many years; eventually retiring from Schafer Gear Works in South Bend.
During her time at work, Kris met Ron Ketcham and in June of 1996, Kris and Ron were married. For over 20 of their years together they also happily worked together. Kris was never one to just sit and do nothing. If she was sitting she was probably reading one of the thousands of books that she owned, watching NASCAR, sharing her knowledge of Star Trek, or sharing the joys of Harry Potter with her family and others. Kris couldn’t sit idle and was frequently at the front counter of Marsh Auto where she got to know all of her customers, played with her grandsons, and delighted in hearing everyone’s stories. Kris was the kind of person who never took from anyone and gave as much love as she had to give to everyone.
She was preceded in death by her father, Harold Kinne; mother, Dorothy Myrtle Dunker; and brothers, Jack, Billy, and Earl Kinne.
Kris is survived by her husband, Ronald Ketcham of Niles; children, Mike Marsh of Portland, Oregon, Trisha (Brian Condon) Marsh of Portland, Oregon, Matt (Jessica) Marsh of Niles; stepchildren, Joanne (Ron) Michalik of Buchanan and Ronnie Ketcham Jr. of Stevensville; grandchildren, Hayden, Lincoln, Baron, and Rachel; siblings, Charlotte (Denny) Smith of Casper, Wyoming, Charles Kinne of New Carlisle, Ed Kinne of St. Joseph, and Alan (Kelda) Kinne of California; and many extended family members and close friends.
A memorial service to honor and celebrate Kris’s remarkable life will be held at Brown Funeral Home in Niles on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. with a time of visitation beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Those wishing to make a memorial donation may do so to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kristine Ketcham, please visit Tribute Store
Wednesday
29
December
Visitation
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services
521 E. Main St.
Niles, Michigan, United States
(269) 683-1155
Need Directions?
Wednesday
29
December
Memorial Service
6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services
521 E. Main Street
Niles, Michigan, United States
269-683-1155
Need Directions?
Online Memory & Photo Sharing Event
Ongoing
Online Event
About this Event
In Loving Memory
Kristine Ketcham
1952 - 2021
Look inside to read what others have shared
Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in this book.
Proudly serving the community of Niles and surrounding areas.
Contact
521 E Main St
Niles, MI 49120
Explore
Email*:
Name*:
Message*:
Please enter the numbers and letters you see in the image. Note that the case of the letters entered matters.*:
There are some invalid fields.
Please wait...
Message has been successfully sent.
Looking for something you can't find? We make it easy to get the answers you need. Please feel free to contact us at anytime