Kathryn Ann David, 78, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away on March 16, 2026. Born on June 18, 1947 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Kathy lived a life filled with service, travel, family, and friendship. Kathy graduated from Grosse Pointe High in 1965. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1969 from the University of Michigan and went on to earn her master’s degree in Kinesiology from Iowa State University in 1980. She worked for many years in Iowa at the Heartland Area Education Agency 11 based in Ames. Kathy was recognized nationally as a leader in the world of pediatric physical therapy. She earned many national awards from the American Physical Therapy Association: “For Extraordinary Service to the Pediatric Section” in 1994 and “For Outstanding Contributions in the Area of Advocacy in Pediatrics” in 2011. In 2015 the Iowa Physical Therapy Association initiated the “Kathy David Award”, annually given to a member recognizing excellence in the field. Throughout her life, even after her retirement in 2009, she fought for rights and empowerment for people of all ages with disabilities.

Kathy and her husband, Bill, were high school sweethearts and lived happily together despite being an example of “opposites attract.” Bill played in a dance band and went on to be a professor of music at Iowa State, while Kathy had little natural love or interest in music. Bill was always boisterous and funny while Kathy was quiet. Her children used to joke they only heard Mom laugh once. Not that Kathy wasn’t funny. She often said things that made everyone laugh, though she was quick to add she wasn’t trying to be funny.

As Kathy’s family grew, it was important for her to maintain family traditions even when many in her family lived many states away. Big Christmases were important, annual family trips were planned, “Happy Birthday” was sung over the phone on every birthday, and photographs were taken to commemorate every moment, big or small. Her Love Language was gift giving, and everyone, from immediate family to people she just thought needed a “pick me up”, were recipients of her “gift” of love. Kathy also tried to be there for as many of her grandkids’ choir concerts and theater performances, even if it meant flying to Texas with her wheelchair on her own.

Kathy also created long lasting friendships in her life. Many of her best friends were women she met in high school or college. She and Bill created a second family for themselves and their children through trips, holidays, and events with all their close friends. When they moved to Aurora in 2012, Kathy continued to form close bonds with new friends through church and in their neighborhood.

Aside from her work and her family, Kathy’s other love was travel. She and Bill traveled the world throughout their lives. When their children were younger, the family camped all over the United States visiting many National Parks. When the children moved out, they made more international trips, visiting countries such as Thailand, Tahiti, China, France, and most recently doing a river cruise down the Rhine. Kathy refused to accept that her physical disabilities later in life would restrict her from doing what she wanted. She used her own physical therapy skills to improve her mobility and decrease her pain (and also allowed other physical therapists to help as well). She looked to acupuncture, tai chi, and pain management techniques as another way to do everything in her power to maintain her independence until the very end.

Kathy is preceded in death by her parents Edward and Anna Steyer and sister Penny Matthews. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, William David, daughters, Laura Flynn and Carolyn Cruse, sons-in-law, Greg Flynn and Corbett Cruse, beloved grandchildren, Jonah and Talia Cruse, sister, Patricia Cooley as well as many nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and extended family members who will cherish her memory.

A funeral and memorial reception will be held on Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 11:00 am at Holy Love Lutheran Church, 4210 South Chambers Road, Aurora, CO 80014.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the ARC of Iowa, an organization that works for the equality, inclusion, and empowerment of people with disabilities.