Katie Husain

On Tuesday, January 5th, 2021, Katherine “Katie” Husain passed away at the age of 28 after a short, but hard-fought battle with brain cancer.

Katie was born on August 11, 1992 in Oconomowoc, the eldest daughter of Randall and Carol (Neff) Bachleitner. She was raised in Oshkosh, alongside her two younger siblings, and attended Oshkosh West High School, where she was not only an accomplished honors student, but an involved member of the school choir, as well as many other clubs and social groups.

After graduating high school, Katie received a full scholarship to attend her dream school, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to study English. During her time in Madison, Katie spent her summers working at a University dining hall where she made many life-long friends, and eventually met and fell in love with her husband, Jeremy Husain. She graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in English, and later went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which allowed her to fulfill another dream of becoming an English educator at her alma mater, Oshkosh West High School.

Katie married the love of her life, Jeremy, on July 7, 2018, and they lived together in Appleton with their three cats, Ramesses, Merlin, and Augustus. An avid reader of all genres, Katie strove to instill a love for reading in her students, as well as everyone she knew. Her favorite books were Bridge to Terabithia and the Harry Potter series. She was a strong advocate for social justice, equality and human rights. She also loved trivia, musicals, coffee, and travelling.

During her short time on this Earth, Katie touched countless people’s lives and had a knack for developing and maintaining lasting friendships. Katie will be remembered by her colleagues, friends, and loved ones for her witty sense of humor and infectious laughter, as well as her unwavering generosity and kindness towards everyone she met.

Katie was preceded in death by her mother, Carol; paternal grandparents, Robert and Joan Bachleither; maternal grandfathers, Ross Neff and Ronald Shinko; uncles, Russell and Allan Bachleitner; and aunt, Lana Neff.

Katie is survived by her husband, Jeremy; father, Randall; maternal grandmother, Jeanne Shinko; siblings, Bryan (Jaime) Bachleitner, Erick Bachleitner, and Elizabeth (Alex) Meikle; uncle, Scott Shinko; and nieces and nephews, Melania, Roman, Maxim, and Amelia Bachleitner. She is further survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who will miss her dearly.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a small, private memorial service will be held at Wichmann Funeral Home in Appleton. However, in keeping with her love for the Earth and passion for giving back to her community, it was Katie’s final wish to be buried in a biodegradable urn that will grow into a tree. It is her family’s intention to hold a celebration of life at a later date when she is to be planted.

Memorial donations in Katie’s honor may be made to the Human Rights Campaign.