Kathryn "Katy" M. Loebrich

Katy Loebrich, beloved wife, daughter and friend to all, passed away unexpectedly on January 24, 2025 at her home in Toledo, OH with her husband, Bruce Loebrich at her side.

She was born on May 5, 1968 in Toledo to Kathryn M. Stahl and John Mitchell (Mitch) Stahl. Katy lived her first few years in Bryan, OH where her father worked in advertising and her mother was a linguist and later a high school Spanish teacher. It was here her mother began tutoring her in her ABC’s that perhaps sparked the life filled with creativity and a love of words leading to success in a satisfying career. It was also where Katy was introduced to her favorite literary character, Winnie the Pooh, an attachment she carried throughout her life.

The family returned to Toledo and then moved to Perrysburg, OH where Katy completed her elementary through high school education, graduating from Perrysburg High School in 1986. Following graduation, she enrolled at Kalamazoo College studying Liberal Arts with a focus on English. There she developed a passion for theatre and the mechanics of entertainment and media production. This led to her lifelong career as a television director and producer.

Part of her college curriculum included study in Strasbourg, France where she completed French-spoken college courses, immersed herself in the language and culture, and was able to travel extensively throughout Europe. One trip included visiting a long-time family friend in Belgium who had, herself, been a foreign exchange student in Katy’s home when she lived there as a youngster in Bryan.

Following graduation from college in 1990 she was able to ease into television directing at WTOL in Toledo. This same year Katy met a handsome, young man from Maumee, OH, Bruce Loebrich, at a wedding. There was an instant and mutual attraction between them, leading to their marriage in 1992. The pairing began a journey of over 33 years, filled with love, happiness and joined-at-the-hips togetherness to the moment of her death.

Shortly after their marriage, the couple moved to Cleveland where Katy continued directing television news. Here she received a “dream job” offer from UNC-TV, the public broadcasting station covering North Carolina, necessitating a move to Durham where they remained for the next 23 years.

While Bruce worked in software for a brokerage, Katy launched a nearly quarter century career at UNC-TV (now called North Carolina Public Media). She began directing the station’s nightly news program along with several weekly or monthly programs. She also began producing shows featuring North Carolina literary figures, musicians, dancers and other notable artists and groups from around the state. She was proud of her work, and she was good at it, as evidenced by her multiple Emmy nominations and two Emmy Awards. Her work was also accepted as an official selection in the 2019 Cucalorus Film Festival, a showcase for films from all over the world.

Katy and Bruce were active in their church. She sang in the choir for many years, and they cultivated many lasting friendships. She enjoyed role-playing games and was a walking encyclopedia of sci-fi and fantasy TV shows and movies. Some summers she and Bruce hosted intern students from her alma mater. She loved trying to pass on what she was passionate about.

About 15 years ago, Katy was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinsons Disease, which over time slowly progressed and was later joined by a diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia. She confronted these diseases with courage and determination. She never complained and faced every day with grace. Eventually her health declined until she had difficulty communicating and was forced to abandon the work that had provided so much joy to her. Seeking to be closer to her family and saying goodbye to her friends and co-workers in North Carolina, she and Bruce moved back to Toledo where they again have been dearly embraced. It has been such a pleasure to be able to return to her, in person, the love and caring, the giving and thoughtful gestures that she showered on everyone she met in her life.

Katy is survived by her loving and devoted husband Bruce E. Loebrich, Toledo, her daughter, Maria Pierce Holland (Andrew), Medina, OH; her mother, Kathryn M. Stahl, Leesburg , Fl.; her father, John M. (Mitch) Stahl (Cindy), Sylvania, OH.; her mother and father in-law, Ann G. and Gale R. Loebrich, Maumee, OH; sister in-Law, Debbe McEwen (Duncan) and their son, Derek, Maumee, OH; also brother Joseph D. Marleau (Traci) and their daughter Abby, Chesterfield Township, MI; sister, Suzanne L. VanTuinen (Tim), their daughter, Lily and son, Weston, Toledo, OH. Also left to remember her are several aunts, numerous cousins and many friends from around the country. She was predeceased by her stepfather Larry Purtzenski, Leesburg, FL.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 1, at Maison-Dardenne-Walker Funeral Home, 501 Conant Street, Maumee, OH. Visitation is from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with a funeral service immediately following. The funeral will be livestreamed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/kathryn-loebrich .

As her illness progressed, Katy vowed that future generations should not have to experience the diseases that were consuming her. She fervently hoped that research will lead to prevention and cures. As part of that process, she donated a tissue sample of her brain to The University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank to further the cause.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at: https://www.michaeljfox.org, or the Lewy Body Dementia Association at: https://www.lbda.org

Visions for Katy Loebrich

We come into this world

like brides in ivory veils

life lifts them one by one

until the whole face opens

beckoning us to the possibilities of a new world.

We follow like the Nile fisherman

who followed morning rain

we follow like the ones before us followed

the ones with cracked palms and tired feet

following and reaching like the stillborn ghost

of a child with new eyes.

We follow like

the mothers of sculptors followed

armless but complete

caught in a storm of birth.

Katy came into this world

carrying her own veil

woven with happy loving stitches

and all the colors of strength.

love lifted her veil

and God showed us

her grace

her patience

the music of her talk

the joy of her generosity and tender embrace of all humanity.

We were allowed to know her heart

and even now as angels are helping her to lift new veils

our hearts are opened even wider.

Katy lifted her veil

asked the ancestors

about the secrets and the magic of love and life

Katy will always be here

flowing with the natural rhythm of love

like generations of women and men before her.

Katy flowed directly into a map

a continent a river named family

an ocean of unconditional support.

We all come into this world

like brides in ivory veils

Katy showed us how to wait

for the storms and joys of life

she showed us how to lift our veils

so we might know and show

our true faces.

We all come here

born with the hunger of finding our life’s story

and carrying it neatly folded

starched like fine linen.

Only this life

is easily scorched

this life of love does not fold easily.

Katy taught us

that this life of love and love of life

does not behave

it is too large for wicker baskets.

Katy folded her fears

put them away

inside a love so large

that her wings kiss all of us today.

This day… a day that is soft and delicious

this day that is so easy

to open and be a part of.

This day… a day for Katy

a day full of kissing mouths

a day full of arms and legs dancing with the wind

beneath her wings.

Sweet Katy

daughter sister cousin niece mother friend truth-teller

woman of kind noble service.

Sweet Katy

your light outshines

and pales the sun today.

our thoughts

our songs

our prayers

are radiant for you and only you today

as we unravel our collective heart beats

that connect us to you forever.

We become your hands and your heart

determined to carry out your devotion to charitable service

we become your golden instrument

that begs to be played.

Sweet Katy Dear Precious Katy

We become your symphonies

carrying your life’s story

forever listening with our hearts.

Jaki Shelton Green

26 January 2025