Kathleen "Kathy" Rien

Kathleen A. “Kathy” Rien, age 79 of Clinton, Minnesota and formerly of Sauk Centre, died peacefully surrounded by her family on March 20, 2026 at her son’s home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A memorial service will be held at 12 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre with Rev. Paul Keehr officiating. Lunch will follow the service at Greenwald Pub in Greenwald, Minnesota.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the funeral home in Sauk Centre.

Kathleen Ann Johnson was born October 11, 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Marvin and Lucille (Kulker) Johnson. She worked at Gardener Hardware and Super Value in Minneapolis for a few years. On October 11, 1975, she married Charles Rien in Freedhem, Minnesota. Kathy and her family moved to the family farm in Fort Ripley and later they moved to a farm they purchased in Osakis, Minnesota. While living in Osakis, Kathy worked at St. Michael’s Hospital as a receptionist until she retired. Kathy and Charles moved to Sauk Centre for several years before moving to their lake home in Clinton.

Kathy enjoyed sitting by the water and spending time with her family.

Survivors include her husband, Charles Rien, sons, Steve (Jackie) Rien, Chris (Jing) Rien, and Aaron Trisco; grandchildren, Zach Rien, Catie Rien, and Jun Lu Rien; granddaughter, Nimzie Bardson; brothers and sister, David (Beverly) Johnson, Ronald (Marren) Johnson, Tom (Diane) Johnson, Susan (Dick) Cardinal and Art (Deb) Johnson; sister-in-law, Peggy (Paul) Keehr; and several nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Lucille Johnson; grandparents; and sister and her husband, Luann (Norbert) Trisco.