Kathleen Lastine

Kathleen Ann Lastine (Ronan) was born on June 5th, 1962 in Sioux Falls, SD to Neil Ronan and Roberta Atkins. She was raised in Minnesota (Slayton, Pipestone and Mahtomedi) and Maryland (Riverdale and Bowie) before returning to Sioux Falls her senior year to graduate from O’Gorman High School in 1980. After graduating from high school, she studied at several universities, ultimately graduating in 1984 with a degree in Social Work from St. Catherine University, or “St. Kate’s”, in St. Paul, MN.

In 1986, Kathleen’s love of new experiences and serving others led her to join the United States Peace Corps in Yaoundé, Cameroon where she promoted women’s health and advocacy and helped local women develop a safe water system. After returning from Cameroon, she moved to San Francisco, CA where she worked as an international student advisor and later met her first husband, Randy Perkins. She and Randy were married in 1993 and moved to Mississippi for a short time until their love of traveling and adventure led them abroad to live and raise their three children, Maggie, Klara, and Sam, in Egypt, Nepal, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Kathleen and family moved back to the United States in 2002, at which point she and Randy took over ownership of Great Plains Coffee Roasting Company in Sioux Falls, SD (a family business started by her mother, Roberta). 

Kathleen met her husband, Dr. Michael Lastine, through mutual friends in 2005 and they married June 16th, 2007 in Pipestone, MN where they resided. Kathleen adored Mike, and they created a full, bright, happy life filled with shared hobbies and faith, family, travels and jokes. Mike reminisces that they went to bed laughing almost every night, and had one rule in their marriage: to make the other happy.

Kathleen was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Pipestone, MN where she led health seminars and was active in Bible studies. She enjoyed running (including two marathons), tennis, gardening, playing flute, puzzles and card games, calligraphy, and watching the Minnesota Twins (and was guilty of occasionally taking her kids out of school to go see a game - why not!). Her Grandma Ronan taught high school French, which sparked Kathleen’s interest; she studied French in high school and college and later spoke it fluently after using French in the Peace Corps. Her passion for life and openness to new people and experiences was apparent throughout her entire life. 

Kathleen and those who knew her would say her greatest honor in life was being a mother. As a child, she was devoted to looking after her younger siblings and as she grew up, she made it clear she couldn’t wait to have kids of her own. Her siblings lovingly teased her about this, calling her “baby trainer”. To no one’s surprise, Kathleen was an outstanding mom, always patient, understanding, compassionate, nurturing, and encouraging. She loved attending her kids’ school events and helping in any way possible (including dancing on stage at after-prom and leading the wave at high school volleyball games). She led by example for her children and others; her kids remember her calling store managers to tell them how amazing the cashier that helped them that day was. As she started to lose her memory, one of her concerns was telling everyone around her how wonderful and beautiful they were. Her kids will always remember their mom telling them “KIT” (keep in touch) and “I love you” every time they headed out the door.

In 2012, Kathleen was diagnosed with dementia due to cerebral malaria contracted during her time in Cameroon. From that point forward, Mike devoted his life to taking excellent care of Kathleen every second of every day. His actions have been nothing short of heroic, a true display of love, loyalty, and partnership. Kathleen died peacefully at home, with family, on June 5th, 2023, her 61st birthday.

She is lovingly and forever remembered by her husband, Dr. Michael Lastine of Pipestone, MN; children, Maggie Perkins of San Francisco, CA, Klara Perkins of San Luis Obispo, CA and Sam Perkins of Duluth, MN; her mother, Roberta Atkins of Green Valley, AZ; siblings, Carolyn “Cary” Ronan of San Francisco, CA, Patrick “Pat” Ronan and Sarah Flynn and their children Grace and James of Sioux Falls, SD, and Sasha Ronan of Green Valley, AZ and Sister-in-law Isabel Puertas-Ronan and children Emily Ronan and Kaitlin Ronan of Brisbane, Australia and Melbourne, Australia ; Uncle Jack Ronan of Green Valley, AZ; step-children, Angel Lastine of Minneapolis, MN, Jody and Dusty Klein and their children of Fort Calhoun, NE, Katie and Trevor Gates and their children of Erie, CO, Wendy Lastine and Marcio Bousada and their baby on the way of Denver, CO and Leif and Holly Lastine of Fridley, MN; and her spectacular caregivers, to whom her family is forever grateful. She was preceded in death by her father, Neil Ronan; brothers, Kevin and Michael Ronan; nephew, Christopher Ronan; grandparents, aunts and uncles.