Kathaleen Jean Barta

Kathaleen Jean Barta passed away on September 14, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 73. She was born on November 11, 1952, in Denison, Iowa.

Kathy was truly one of a kind. She was funny, stylish, strong, and always completely herself. She was quick with a joke, always dressed to the nines, and had a way of making people feel important. She remembered the little things, asked about your family, and genuinely cared about what was happening in your life.

She spent many years as part of the State of Nebraska Fourth Judicial Juvenile Probation, and the people she worked with meant so much to her. She cared deeply about her coworkers and took great pride in the work they all did. Even through her health struggles, she still talked about returning to work because she missed the people there and the sense of purpose it gave her.

But more than anything else, she loved being my mom. 

I was her biggest source of pride, and she was without question my biggest fan and my number one supporter. She believed in me even when I did not always believe in myself. She celebrated every accomplishment, encouraged every new chapter, and was always telling me how proud she was of me. She was so excited about the life I was building and everything that was still ahead for Jason and me. 

There was never a moment in my life when I questioned how much my mom loved me. Her love was constant, fierce, and unconditional. She was always in my corner, and losing that kind of love is something I do not think words can fully explain. 

Kathaleen was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Esther Bohm; stepfather, Wallace McConnell; brothers Roger Mefferd, Stan Mefferd, and Butch Mefferd; and sister Janice Jensen. 

She is survived by her son, Mark Barta and his partner, Jason Casady; sisters Cindy (Bill) Tompson and Charlene (David) Shaw; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, coworkers, and friends. 

My mom will be missed more than I can ever put into words. I will miss her humor, her strength, her style, her voice, and knowing that no matter what happened, she was always going to be in my corner.

I will always be proud to be her son, just as she was always so proud to be my mom.