Kathleen Ann Morgen

Kathleen Ann (Ploegert) Morgen, 62, of Savanna, Illinois, formerly of Washburn Wis. and many locations in Dane County Wis., passed away at the home of her daughter Tuesday, June 23 after a long but peaceful struggle with cancer. Kathleen was born on October 29, 1946 in Janesville, Wis., the second child of Robert and Dorothy (Grosskreutz) Ploegert.   She received a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1969.   She returned to school again to earn a Master of Science degree in 1994 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in environmental curriculum development. Kathleen was a teacher in everything she did.   Her passion was introducing children to the joys of the outdoor world and showing the interconnected nature that holds everything together.   She not only taught children, but spent many years developing and writing original curriculum and teaching teachers to follow in her paths.   Her secondary passion was photographing anything that she saw outdoors that might further her goals of teaching about nature.   She particularly loved prairie plants, dragonflies, and birds.   She wanted to share this love with the world, and had begun publishing her own line of inspirational greeting cards featuring her photography and poetry. Kathleen is survived her beloved daughter Brittany White and son-in-law Robert Smith of Fitchburg, Wis.; her father Robert Ploegert of Lithia, Fla.; sisters Bonnie (Wayne) Manthey of Valrico, Fla., and Peggy (Tony) Peterson, Milton, Wis.; and many dear nieces, grandnieces, nephews, grandnieces, and cousins. She was predeceased by her mother and a beloved baby brother John Ploegert.   Memorials may be directed to HospiceCare, Inc., and may be made online at www.hospicecareinc.com  .  Those who wish may also make memorial donations to any nature-related organization they choose. Well-wishers are encouraged to visit www.carepages.com/carepages/prairiewomancare  to post sentiments and receive comfort from others' sentiments.   A celebration of  Kathleens life will be held from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Rd., Madison, WI  53705