Katherine Savage Kanealy Hladky, 77, of Mount Vernon, passed away peacefully July 8, 2026, surrounded by family and friends. Born in 1949, to Phyllis Savage Kanealy and John Kanealy, Kate was raised in Cedar Rapids and graduated from Washington High School and then the University of Iowa. She married Joseph F Hladky III in 1973, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine. Though she and Joe divorced, they raised their daughters with love and a strong sense of service.

Kate had a lifelong love of animals and a commitment to helping others. She combined these two passions and found great joy and purpose in helping people connect with both horses and dogs. She taught therapeutic horseback riding at Miracles in Motion, started a Pony Club to provide a framework for safety and ongoing learning, and for many years was a member of the Moingona Foxhunt. Her therapy dogs Juma and Theo brought smiles to many at St. Luke’s Hospital and other locations. She also found joy and serenity in other service work in the Cedar Rapids area.

Kate had many additional passions as well. She was a world traveler from a young age, spending time in Germany and Spain, and excelling in both languages, before starting college. She continued to travel throughout her adulthood with adventures across the globe, often with lifelong friends. She loved music and playing her guitar. Later in life she rekindled her fondness for gardening and learned to cook. She enjoyed finding beautiful art pieces, especially works by local artists.

She is survived by her sisters, Anne Montross and Mary Kanealy; by her daughters, Elizabeth Schott and Katherine Hladky; as well as loving friends.

A Celebration of Life may be planned in the future. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Emma Goldman Clinic and the Meals on Wheels Program of Horizons, ECI would be appreciated.

Please share your support and memories with Kate’s family on her obituary page at www.stewartbaxter.com under the Obituaries tab.