Our beautiful daughter Kate Sophia Bambeck, 23, passed away after a brief illness on September 19, 2025, surrounded by her family.

Kate was born on November 27, 2001, in Columbus, Ohio to Mike and Joanna Bambeck. Kate grew up in Powell, Ohio chasing frogs, swimming, playing soccer, and fostering too many kittens to count. She graduated in 2020 from Olentangy Liberty High School.

She spent the last five years in Auburn, Alabama attending Auburn University to earn her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and working in the labor & delivery unit at EAMC.

At Auburn, Kate was an active member of the Delta Zeta sorority and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where she was baptized in 2021.

Kate was bright, beautiful and funny; she had a wonderfully loud, boisterous personality and laugh, and always lit up the room. Kate was steadfast in her beliefs, genuine, kind, and touched the hearts of many. We are so proud of who she was as a person. Not only are we missing Kate dearly, but we lost someone who would have made a difference in our world.

Kate is survived by her dad and mom (Mike and Joanna Bambeck), her loving sister Ellie Bambeck, and her cat Whiskey.   She is also survived by her grandmothers Marlene Koethe and Marilyn Koethe, her large family of aunts, uncles and cousins, her many friends, sorority sisters, church brethren, and literally anyone she came in contact with.  She was preceded in death by her loving grandmother Monica Bambeck, doting grandfathers David Koethe and Art Leach, her beautiful cat Fresno (“Kitty”) and our faithful companion, Cali.

Her wonderful friend summed it up best by saying that she had a Kate-sized hole in her heart.  I think we all feel that way.

Family & friends are invited to join us to honor and celebrate Kate’s life on Sunday November 30th from 11am – 1pm at the Swan Lake Event Center at 5900 Liberty Road N., Powell, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local animal shelter, it is what Kate would want.