Kathryn Lee Orr Obituary (1952 - 2022)

Kathryn Lee Orr died in Peoria on Sunday following a short illness, surrounded by her loving family and dear friends. Kathi was born in Princeton, IL, on July 30, 1952, the eldest of five children born to Edward William Bartman Jr. and Iona Marie Moses Bartman. She was a long-time educator and the loving matriarch of our family, and words cannot express the depth of our loss. Visitation services will be held from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday at the Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home in Bloomington, IL. A memorial service will be held there at 10:00 am Friday. Kathi graduated from Princeton High School in 1970. She and Roger were married August 25, 1973 in Princeton and were inseparable from that time on, relying on each other in all things and embodying a once-in-a-lifetime love that has been the bedrock of our family. They made their life together in Danvers, IL and, later, divided their time between Danvers and their "happy place", the Lake of the Ozarks. While she and Roger raised their three children, Kathi worked first as an administrative assistant at Illinois State University (ISU), in both the Admissions and President's offices. She also worked as an office manager for an investment banking firm in Bloomington, earning a Series 63 license for selling bonds during that time. Kathi later returned to school in order to become an educator, earning her B.A. in Elementary Education in 1998 and an M.A. in Reading in 2006, both from ISU. For many years, she taught 6th grade in the public school system, including at Hopedale Elementary (1999-2000) and two Unit 5 Elementary Schools, Fairview and Kingsley (2000-2015). She loved nothing more than putting the right book in the hands of a reluctant reader, and changing a life forever. She was also a tireless advocate for teachers, serving for several years as a Teacher's Union Representative for the Unit 5 school system. Kathi was very active in her local community, serving for many years in the Danvers and Olympia PTOs, as an officer in the Danver's Junior Women's Club, and as a member and treasurer of the Board of the Danvers Library. Even after retiring in 2015, Kathi continued serving as a regular substitute teacher at Danvers Elementary, despite urging from her children to relax and take a well-deserved break. However, as anyone who knew her understood, you might as well try to hold back the tide as try to prevent Kathi from doing something she set her mind to. She was a force to be reckoned with, a fiercely loyal friend and family member, and there was no better person to have in your corner. She believed in working hard and playing hard in equal measure, and brought laughter to every room she entered. Kathi is survived by her devoted husband of 48 years, Roger, their three children: Brian Orr and his wife Bethany McClintock with their children Luke and Vivienne (Chicago, IL), Brent Orr and his wife Julie Markham with their sons Aiden and Miles (Memphis, TN), and Adam Orr and his partner Daniela Acamovic and her son Stefan Acamovic (Joliet, IL); her brother Larry Bartman (Mary) and sisters Connie Casford (James) and Barb Valle (Cam); and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and younger brother Tommy. Her memory will be cherished by all who knew her. Memorials in Kathi's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Center. To express condolences, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com