Katherine Elaine Brandt Foster passed away suddenly on December 2. 2021, at the age of 78, at Monument Health in Rapid City.  Kathy was born April 8, 1943, the youngest of Albert and Katie Brandt's three children.  She grew up on a farm near Brookings, South Dakota, and began her education in a one-room country school.  She graduated from Elkton High School, and then went to cosmetology school in DeSmet. While working as a beautician in DeSmet, she met Bruce Foster; they married in Elkton on December 22, 1962 and put up with each other for 52 years.

Kathy and Bruce moved several times early in their marriage, and were living in Davenport, Iowa, when their daughter Jacqueline was born in December of 1965.  More moves followed as Bruce pursued his graduate education at SDSU and then USD, while Kathy stayed home with their daughter and began to paint.  The family moved to Dickinson, North Dakota, in 1971, and spent the next 14 years there.  Kathy's skills and interests in art continued to grow.  She painted prolifically, took occasional art classes at Dickinson State College, and taught painting classes for adults and kids through various local programs.  She was a member and occasional officer in the Badlands Art Association.  Kathy began to win awards for her artwork, a habit she continued throughout her life. She also worked part-time at a small retail arts/crafts store, and for the US Census Bureau.  She and Bruce each earned private pilot's licenses and owned a small Cessna for pleasure flights.

Kathy and Bruce moved to Mobridge, SD, in the late 1980s, where they both continued to follow their interests.  Kathy became involved with the Northern Plains Watercolor Society and was an officer for the group at various times.  They retired to the Black Hills in 1999, and Kathy spent several years working as a home care aide for Comfort Keepers to alleviate the problem of spare time.  The couple eventually settled in Rapid City in 2013.

Always an animal lover, in recent years Kathy became very involved with stray cats in her neighborhood.  She fed them and created elaborate shelters for them, knew them all individually and could talk at length about each cat's personality and activities.  She rescued a litter a feral kittens, and raised them and found homes for them. One kitten stayed with her, and Kathy also tamed and adopted the mother cat.  She also worked to find good homes for many other backyard strays via the local Humane Society.

Kathy was a warm, outgoing, and accepting person who enjoyed traveling, gardening, and creating things.  Always curious, she loved trying new things and learning about nearly any subject.  She had many opinions and worked hard over the years to refrain from sharing them in situations where they would not be appreciated.

She is survived by her daughter, Jacqueline Foster; her sister, Evelyn Mueller; her brother, Paul Brandt; her grandchildren, Julian and Colin Davidson; and several nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, her husband Bruce, and many dear friends.

A celebration of life is planned for a later date.  A memorial has been established at the Humane Society of the Black Hills, www.hsbh.org .