Livestream ( Click Here )

Kathleen Beth Purcell-Westphal, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on July 13, 2025, in Lincoln, Nebraska, with family by her side. She was 85 years, 7 months, and 25 days old.

Born on November 18, 1939, to Howard and Mildred (Day) Larsen on the family farm northwest of Superior, Nebraska, Kathleen's life was rooted in the values of faith, perseverance, and kindness. Despite facing a hearing loss from a young age, she excelled academically and graduated as valedictorian of Superior High School's Class of 1957. She went on to earn her Associate of Arts degree from Fairbury Community College.

On June 7, 1959, she married her high school sweetheart, James Burr Purcell. Together, they embarked on a life of love and adventure, moving from Nebraska to Cleveland, Ohio, and then across the country as Jim served in the U.S. Navy. From Rhode Island to West Virginia, Maine to Florida, Kathleen created warm homes and lasting memories in each place they lived.

In 1968, the couple returned to the midwest and settled on a farm near Webber, Kansas, where they raised their three daughters. Kathleen balanced the demands of farm work with raising her girls, leading 4-H, teaching Sunday School, and volunteering with the Webber United Methodist Church. She also worked as a bookkeeper in Superior and at Lovewell Lake, always bringing her calm, thoughtful presence to all that she did.

After Jim's passing in 1989, Kathleen continued to show her strength by embarking on a new chapter. She moved to Omaha and became a licensed massage therapist in 1992. She built a thriving practice over the next 30 years, offering care and healing to clients in Omaha and the communities where she lived. She gave her last massage at the age of 83—a testament to her passion, dedication and incredible strength.

In October 1992, Kathleen married Hugo Louis Westphal, Jr., a United Methodist minister. Together, they lived in Cook, Genoa, and Syracuse, Nebraska. Kathleen supported Hugo's clergy duties, served as a children's minister, and remained committed to her massage work, often keeping a schedule that would make anyone half her age marvel.

Kathleen loved the outdoors. Whether she was tending her vibrant flower beds, nurturing vegetables in her garden, or feeding the birds, she found joy in the beauty of nature. She had a quiet strength, a servant's heart, and a deep love for her family that never wavered.

She is preceded in death by her parents, both of her husbands—James Purcell and Hugo Westphal—her sister Shirley Heier, and her grandson Justin Lee Wagner.

Kathleen's legacy lives on in her family: her daughters Shelley Wagner (Dale) of Columbia, MO; Cindy Freeman (CJ) of Austin, TX; and Deborah Connaway (Wes) of Allen, TX; her cherished grandchildren Aaron Wagner, Alicia Bartenhagen, Rebecca Wagner, Lauren Wagner, Jonathan Hickman, and Jason Purcell; and two great-grandchildren, Thaddeus and Meryn Wagner. She is also survived by her sisters Eleanor Stiles (Charles) of Superior, NE, and Joanne McChesney of Lincoln, NE; brother-in-law Harlan Heier of Lincoln, NE; sisters-in-law Mary Anderson and Phyllis Merrill; and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

To honor Kathleen's lifelong love of flowers, the family invites you to plant a flower or tree in her memory, or brighten someone's day with the gift of flowers.

A memorial service will be held in the Chapel at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 8550 Pioneers Blvd., Lincoln, NE, on August 1 at 11 a.m. The service will be livestreamed on the Fusselman Facebook page. A public graveside service and inurnment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Superior, NE, on Saturday, August 2, at 11 a.m.

Memorials can be made to the family and will be directed to a charity close to Kathleen's heart.

Arrangements By: Fusselman Allen Harvey Funeral Home, Syracuse, NE

Condolences to www.fusselmanallenharvey.com