Kathleen Anne VandeMoortel, 29, of Moline, passed away unexpectedly in her sleep Monday morning, Jan. 25, 2016.

Kathleen was active in the Miss You Can Do It Pageant and served as queen from 2007-2008. She played Challenger Little League for the last 25 years. She was the Easter Seals poster child from 1991-1992. She was a participant in the Up With Families program. She participated in research that led to advancements in genome mapping and human growth hormone therapy. Kathleen loved to attend Wonderland Camp for campers with Prader-Willi Syndrome in Missouri. Since graduating from Moline High School in 2005, she has attended Black Hawk College and has volunteered and worked at the BHAEC Special Education facility with colleagues and students whom she loved dearly. Kathleen had the rare ability to be grateful for her life and to live joyously regardless of her circumstances, and her smile and resilience overflowed into everyone she interacted with from swim classes to Young Life.

Kathleen's life is celebrated by her surviving family, her parents, Gary and Anne; grandmother, Marilyn; grandparents, James and Virginia Padesky; and brother, Jacob, (Liz) and their three children, Cohen, Sophia and Ellie, who were well-loved and adored by their aunt, Katie. She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Joseph.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, 3030 7th Ave., Rock Island. Funeral services will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Moline, with a luncheon to follow at Culeman's Hall. Burial will be at Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for a fund to be determined later.

Online condolences may be left at wheelanpressly.com.