Pamela Ann Ketchem

Pamela Ann (Sitzman) Ketchem, 66, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. She was at her home in Shawnee, Kansas, surrounded by her family. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her for her kindness, faith, and the generosity she showed to everyone she met. 

Pam was born on March 7, 1960 in Sioux City, Iowa, to Darvin and Doris (Hagen) Sitzman. She was the oldest of four children and graduated from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School. On a fortuitous night out in Sioux City, she met Ronald Ketchem when he asked her for a dance. On December 3, 1983, they were married at St. Boniface Catholic Church. They soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri for Ron’s career with Purina Mills. After only 18 months, they were relocated again to Lafayette, Indiana where they welcomed their three sons. 

Pam embraced each new community with warmth and enthusiasm, building lifelong friendships through her parish, neighborhood card club, and Bible study. No matter where life took her, she had a remarkable ability to make people feel at home and part of the family. 

Another move took the family to Fremont, Nebraska in 2000. As her boys grew older, Pam returned to work, first helping with accounting and human resources for Swine Management Services, Ron’s company, and later joining the accounting office of Fremont Public Schools, where she worked for ten years before retiring. 

In 2006, she was diagnosed with Leukemia. She spent 41 days in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy before being able to return home and achieved full remission five years later. 

By 2021, all three of their sons had settled in the Kansas City area, so Pam and Ron made one more move to be closer to them. She became “Mimi” to three grandchildren: Clara, Sadie, and Wyatt. She treasured every opportunity to spend time with them. Pam was also proud to support her son Ryan through her involvement with The Mission Project, a family cooperative serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Throughout her life Pam was deeply devoted to her Catholic faith and was always an avid member of her Parish community. Volunteering herself (and her family) to help with a wide variety of church activities including teaching religious formation. She considered being a wife and mother to be her true devotions in life and always strived to be better at both. She never missed her children’s activities, even faithfully attending every high school jazz band concert, despite later admitting that she never liked jazz. 

Pam had a creative spirit and was always looking for ways to make life a little better. She had a gift for making everyone feel welcome and included. She enjoyed writing stories, poems, greeting cards, and lists, endless lists…there seemed to be a list for everything. She loved playing cards and games with family and friends, continuously rearranging furniture to make a room feel just right, and discovering clever gadgets or homemade solutions to everyday problems. 

She leaves behind her husband Ron, Her children Ryan, Brandon (Nicole), Tyler (Erica) and her grandchildren Clara, Sadie, and Wyatt, her mother Doris (Hagen) Sitzman, her siblings Jim (Barb) Sitzman, Gordie (Sarah) Sitzman, Angel (Shandrew) George, and her many nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her father, Darvin Sitzman. 

Mass of Christian Burial to take place at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at St Joseph Catholic Church in Shawnee, Kansas. Visitation will be held Friday, July 10 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Amos Family Funeral Home, 10901 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66203 with a prayer service to start at 7:30 pm.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee KS 66203 or The Mission Project, 5909 Dearborn St, Mission, KS 66202. 

Pamela: Pious, Amazing Mother Everyone Loved Abundantly