Kathleen F. Earl

LIVESTREAM UPDATE: Due to technical difficulties, Kathleen's livestream service will be starting a few minutes late. Please check back for the updated link.

Kathleen’s Livestream Service will begin at 1 p.m. CT on Thursday, June 6, 2024. To view the webcast, please scroll down to the Event section (below) and click on “Watch Now.”

The indomitably spirited Kathleen Faye Earl née Argue passed unexpectedly to join God and many of her beloved family and friends on the afternoon of Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Madison, Wis. She went peacefully with her devoted husband of 73 years, Ralph F. Earl, and her three children, Debra A. Earl, James K. Earl, and Christopher M. Earl, by her bedside and her daughter-in-law, Cathy Earl née Long and her granddaughter, Amanda Kathleen Earl-who held her so dear-close by. A Catholic chaplain, also a lively Irishwoman with a deep faith, helped guide her toward the open gates with the Irish blessing: “May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.” Indeed, Kathleen lived long enough to fulfill her goal of seeing Amanda earn her Ph.D. from Columbia University just two weeks ago in New York City, where she beamed with pride during the ceremony; this was just the culmination of a rich and enriching life during which she wanted for neither adventure nor accomplishments.

Kathleen was born in 1932 in Los Angeles, Calif., to Bertha and Alfred Argue, the oldest of three children. After graduating from Washington High School, she studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design in LA and signed an acting and modeling contract. Soon thereafter she was introduced to West Point Cadet Ralph Earl “through correspondence” by his younger brother, Robert Earl, and they quickly fell in love. After marrying and becoming a mother, she embarked with her family on an international career, playing a crucial role in her husband’s assignments with the Foreign Service, US Department of State. She met and won the esteem of royalty, politicians, diplomats, film personalities, and astronauts, including the first man on the moon; hosted fashion shows and dinner parties for dignitaries; and developed a network of friends of diverse faiths, fields, and stations in life. She made elegant homes at at least 10 addresses, from LA to Saigon, Bangkok, Caracas, Lima, Paris, Honolulu, Quito, Washington D.C., Wilton, Conn., to Haverford, Penn., and eventually Madison, Wis.; across oceans she successfully carried many treasures-both physical and spiritual-with her. It was due to her natural curiosity and gregariousness combined with her experiences living overseas that Kathleen could and would confidently interact with anyone and endeared herself to everyone.

Though the first thing that always struck you about Kathleen was how she lit up the room with her blue eyes, exuberant beauty, and fashion-sense, what truly characterized her were her charity and advocacy for others. As a resident of Haverford, Penn., where she and Ralph settled after retiring from the US government in the 1980s, Kathleen served as a longtime board member, volunteer and fundraiser for children through the Ardmore YMCA. Another way she built community was through her culinary talents. An accomplished chef throughout her life, at the age of 63 she determined to make it official by attending the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, where she got up every dawn to milk the cows and collect the eggs with the other students who were in their 20s. She proved learning is a lifelong pursuit and graduated top of her class. She was up there with Julia Child not only in terms of skill and personality, but also approachability: she never met a person for whom she didn’t offer to cook a batch of cupcakes or cookies, and they were always the best you ever had.

But that’s not where her talents ended: Kathleen was also a consummate visual artist. She did graphic design for the American International Hospital in Paris, designed clothes and hand-made Halloween costumes for her grandchildren, created pastel paintings and embroidery that adorn our homes, and never met an expectant mother or grandmother for whom she didn’t offer to crochet a beautiful baby blanket. She herself was a loving “Gaga” extraordinaire, never doubting or failing to support her husband, children, and grandchildren’s abilities to excel in life. In addition to cheering on Erin, Amanda, and Alex, she was extremely proud of her youngest grandchildren, Ethan and Julia Earl; her great-grandchildren, Amie, Katie Lou, and Kian, children of Alex Earl, and Elijah and Wilder, children of Erin Earl. It is this quality, her commitment to her loved ones, for which we will forever be indebted.

Inspired by the many teachers who touched their own lives and their granddaughter Amanda’s commitment to the field of education, in 2021 Kathleen and Ralph created a nonprofit, the Kathleen F. and Ralph F. Earl Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to provide funding for underserved K-12 students to succeed academically, and is another example of Kathleen’s generous spirit. As a dear friend of the family wrote, “In a world obsessed with racial, economic and political differences, we adored how easily and naturally Kathleen chose to focus on the commonality of people’s hearts. As a result, she befriended those who were kind and authentic regardless of their dissimilarities.” She was truly a class act and one of a kind. The world will never be the same without her, but because we have been touched by her, it has been made better through her.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Bertha (née Berry) Argue; and her beloved brother Milton “Red” Argue. As a supreme guardian angel she will be watching over her loving husband, Ralph F. Earl; her children, Debra Earl (spouse David Youngs), James (spouse Cathy) Earl, and Christopher (spouse Karen) Earl; her sister, Annalee (spouse Jason) Brandt; and her many loving nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews who survive her.

A service to honor Kathleen’s life will be held privately in Madison, Wis., at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Family and friends who wish to view the service via LIVESTREAM may visit Kathleen’s obituary page at www.gundersonfh.com at the time of the service and click on the Watch Now in the Webcast section.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made by check to the Kathleen F. and Ralph F. Earl Foundation at 16192 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE 19958 or to your preferred charity in loving memory of Kathleen Earl.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West

Funeral & Cremation Care

7435 University Ave.

(608) 831-6761