Kathleen Claire Harty

Kathleen Claire Harty

It is with profound sadness, but appreciation for a life lived to its fullest, that the family of Kathleen Claire Harty announces her passing.

Kathy was born on March 28, 1943, and passed away on March 15, 2022, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was the eldest of the six children of Harris and Mary Agnes (Coggins) Harty. Kathy grew up on the family farm in Newry township and was immensely proud of the kindergarten through sixth grade education that she received at a one-room schoolhouse in Freeborn County. As a proud Blooming Prairie Blossom, Kathy graduated from Blooming Prairie High School in 1961.

After graduation, Kathy went to St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, to participate in training to become an X-ray Technician. She worked for several years as an X-Ray Technician for a few hospitals in the Twin Cities, and then continued her work in Germany for a number of years.

Kathy returned to the United States and received an associate degree from Austin Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Metro State University, and a master’s degree in health education from the University of St. Thomas. She then went on to work for the Minnesota Department of Health where she managed the Center for Nonsmoking and Health. This position led to her long career in tobacco-use prevention. Kathy worked hard to change America’s relationship with tobacco. While she had many notable successes throughout her career, two of the highlights included a “Quit Smoking” campaign with Kirby Puckett, and another commercial with the use of cartoon animals.

Kathy later went to work for the American Medical Association in Chicago, where she led the AMA’s tobacco prevention campaign, which used the Minnesota model for the Centers for Disease Control.

Kathy is preceded in death by her parents Harris and Mary Agnes Harty, as well as her brothers Thomas and Donald Harty.

She is survived by her siblings M. Patrick (Renee) Harty, Mary Jean Harty, Daniel Harty; nieces Nicolle Harty (Wade Gulbransen), Shavonn (Terry) Eastlee, Erin Harty (Matt Mireau), Britt Harty (Esom Ashour), Bryana (Jay) Harty-Agbo, and nephew Patrick (Angie) Harty. She is also survived by her grand nieces and nephews, Harris and Esme Gulbransen; Aidan, Meghan, and Graham Eastlee; Yuan and Jedi Agbocasas , Arcadio and Paloma Harty-Agbo; and Max, Reagan, Blake, and Ashlynn Harty.

A small, private Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date.