Kathern Louise Applegate, 72, of Plainville, passed away at her home on September 26, 2026.

She was born on October 25, 1953, in Omak, Washington, to Calvin Harold and Phyllis Lenore (Cline) Farwell.

Kathern married Earl Hankins on January 2, 1971, and they later divorced. She later married Jim Applegate in Norton, Kansas, and they also later divorced.

Kathern worked as a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) at Whispering Pines in Norton and also managed The Commons, an apartment building in Norton. While living in Juneau, Alaska, she worked cleaning homes and businesses. She also enjoyed helping with travel.

She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also attended the Baptist Church in Plainville. Her faith mattered to her, and she especially loved visiting Latter-day Saint temples with friends and family.

Kathern leaves behind a legacy rooted deeply in the beauty of the natural world. A true lover of the outdoors, Kathern found her greatest joy wherever the air was fresh, and the landscape was wild. Whether hiking and exploring the beaches of Alaska or taking in the vast skies of Montana, she lived to experience the beauty of everything around her.

She deeply appreciated different cultures, finding particular inspiration in Native American traditions, Indian culture, and the spirit of the wolf. Kathern had a lifelong passion for horses, a love she shared with her children from the very beginning—holding her oldest daughter up on a horse before she was even a year old.

She was a gifted gardener who brought life to flowers and plants wherever she went. Her family will forever cherish the vibrant and unpredictable stories of her life in nature, from her playful childhood pranks to the unforgettable afternoon she went to hang laundry between her apple trees, only to find baby bears looking down at her from the branches.

Kathern is survived by her daughters, Amy (Michael) Barfield of St. Francis, Kansas, Sandy (Andy) Nielsen of Almena, Kansas, and Cathy Ritchey of St. Francis; 12 grandchildren, Alan (Rachel) Percy, Taton Busby, Dominic Palmberg, Stacie Meyer, Jonathon (Audrie) Meyer, Nicholas Meyer, Mercedes (Ethan) Kinner, Kalin Ritchey, Tasha Ritchey, Saralyn Barfield, Skylar Barfield, and Kimber Barfield; and seven great-grandchildren, Evelynn, John, Harley, Kemper, Greyson, Oliver and Elijah.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Calvin and Phyllis Farwell, and her sister, Marilyn Lane.

Private family services will be held.

Memorials are suggested to the Kathern Applegate Memorial Fund to help with funeral expenses and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st, Stockton, KS 67669.