Kathleen Mary (Gawlik/Mungavan) Sovell, 78, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on January 19, surrounded by loved ones. A resilient and determined woman, Kathleen embraced every adventure with her beloved husband of 34 years, Gerald L. Sovell. She was cherished for her kindness and innocence, and admired for her elegance, sincerity, honesty, grace, and fairness. Open, genuine, and poised, Kathleen lived with a bright spirit and a firm dedication to the Golden Rule. Her compassion, goodness, and warmth radiated to all who knew her.

Kathleen will be remembered for her devotion to love—as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and animal lover. Anyone fortunate enough to know her knew they were in the presence of someone truly special. She was beautiful and intelligent, possessing uncommon strength paired with unconditional kindness. Her daughters and grandchildren describe her as one of their biggest cheerleaders and closest friends. Leading by example, Kathleen and Gerald’s marriage was truly a storybook love and a guiding example for future generations—filled with love, family, and adventure.

Born on August 29, 1947, and raised in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, Kathleen graduated from Robbinsdale High School, where she proudly represented her community as Miss Robbinsdale in the 1965 Minneapolis Aquatennial. She attended the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and pursuing her lifelong passion for art. Kathleen was a devoted member of the Minnesota Watercolor Society, and her creative spirit will continue to shine through the memories she leaves behind. May her passage be gentle and her rest eternal.

Kathleen found deep joy and spiritual renewal in the outdoors, sharing countless experiences with her husband and family. Her determination led her to embrace a remarkable range of activities, including scuba diving, bungee jumping, running, yoga, inline skating, golf, skiing, hiking, sailing, kayaking, bicycling, paragliding, motorcycling, whitewater rafting, RV travel, and canoeing in the Boundary Waters. Her love of exploration took her to five continents. She especially cherished winters spent in the Palm Springs area and, more recently, in Venice, Florida.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Patricia A. (Flanagan) Gawlik and John A. Gawlik. She is survived by her husband, Gerald L. Sovell; her siblings, John Gawlik and Patrice (Brad) Anderson; her daughters Kerry (Charles) Maahs and Katie (Kevin) Welsh; her sons by marriage Chase (JongAh) Sovell and Miles (Nielle) Sovell; and her nine grandchildren Peyton, Kai, Keiley, Elle, Lindsey, Devin, Ben, Tyler and James.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the Givens Brain Institute, Allina Palliative Care and Hospice for their compassionate support during Kathleen’s final months. Friends and family wishing to honor Kathleen’s dedication to the arts are encouraged to make donations to the Legacy Lofts Art Program, Attn: Management, 1240 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415.

A celebration of Kathleen’s life will be held in the spring or summer of 2026.