Katherine A. Poltermann, 81, of Genoa City died April 28, 2023.
She was born in Elkhorn on Feb. 5, 1942, the daughter of the late Emil and Ruth (Johnson) Hammerstrom. She graduated from Badger High School in 1960 as part of the second graduating class. On Feb. 10, 1962, at the UCC Congregational Church of Genoa City she was united in marriage to Bruce Poltermann.
She began her adult life as a farm wife, working side by side with Bruce as dairy farmers. After a brief stint selling Avon to neighborhood farmers, she woke up in the middle of the night with an idea: printed t-shirts were suddenly a hot item, and so were Tupperware parties. What if you sold printed t-shirts through a “Party Plan”?
At a time when women didn’t start businesses, and bankers didn’t lend them money, Bruce supported her idea and helped her get the financing. PFI Fashions was founded in 1975. She was proud to work side by side with generations of friends and family – mostly fellow women, whom she worked with to build a pathway to independence.
From starting out doing screen-printing in her home, to building the factory in 1982 and then having to rebuild the factory after a disastrous fire in 2001, nothing has stopped Kay from achieving her dreams. As many know, Kay has been involved in all aspects of the business from sales, to manufacturing, to even cutting the lawn on many occasions. She loved running the outlet store and being able to see many of her friends when they would come to shop.
Kay was a volunteer throughout her life, from her years as a room mother for her three children, through her many years as a volunteer putting together class reunions for the Badger High class of 1960. But she was a farm girl by heart and never tired of farm life. She loved animals and taking care of them. She loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, and spent many hours teaching them about family history and watching them play in the swimming pool. Over time she became the family historian by hobby, and has curated an extensive family history that she leaves behind for her children, grandchildren and generations to come.
She is survived by her husband, Bruce; loving mother to Barry (Cassandra Suchan) Poltermann, Brad (Jennifer) Poltermann and Jody (Billy Joe) Todd; cherished grandmother to Erin, Eric (Amy), Bryton, Hayden, Gunnar, Addison, Alexis, Macie, J.D., Ro’Nell, Jed, Jake and Gracie. Great Grandmother to Greyson; and sister to Richard (Marina Haan) Hammerstrom and William (Chris) Hammerstrom.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 5 at 11 a.m. at Haase-Lockwood and Associates Funeral Home 113 Freeman St. Genoa City. Burial will follow in Hillside Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 4 from 4 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials in Kay’s name may be made to either; Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation, Help Fight RA: 8815 Conroy Windermere Rd, Suite 309, Orlando, FL 32835; or Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin: Children’s Wisconsin Foundation PO Box 1997 Milwaukee, WI, 53201. Online condolences Haaselockwoodfhs.com. The Haase-Lockwood and Associates Funeral Home of Genoa City is serving the Poltermann family.
