Sterling "Katie Katherine Humphreys

Sterling Katherine “Katie” Humphreys died at her home on September 17, 2026, with her husband of 58 years, Ralph M. Komasinski, by her side. She was 80 years old.

Born on November 7, 1945, in South Bend, Indiana, Katie was the daughter of John R. Humphreys and Sterling Macready. She was the middle of three children, with an older sister, Judith Woltman, and a younger brother, John, both of whom preceded her in death.

Katie is survived by her husband, Ralph; her son, Michael Komasinski, and his spouse, Heather Evans, and their children, India and Miller; and her daughter, Stefanie Barbee, and her spouse, Ray Barbee, and their children, Nolan and Maxwell.

Katie was outgoing, intellectually curious, warm, and driven. She brought enormous energy to everything she undertook, whether raising her family, leading a government agency, restoring an old house, or hosting a gathering of friends. She was a woman of contrasts: warm but firm, ambitious yet deeply emotional, and equally comfortable in the company of governors, colleagues, old friends, and family.

Katie graduated from John Adams High School in 1963 and Western Michigan University in 1967 with a degree in art education. She also holds a M.A. in Special Education from IUSB, and an MBA at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1985.

Katie began her professional life teaching art at Greene Elementary School, a job she loved so much that she occasionally mused she could happily have done it for her entire career. Art remained an enduring passion, as she would later serve as president of the South Bend Museum of Art.

Katie’s deep commitment to public service, building a community of friends, and raising her family were pillars in a life lived with purpose, passion, and adventure.

She began her management career at Northern Indiana Children's Hospital before moving to LOGAN. Leadership positions at Northern Indiana Health Systems Agency and St. Joseph Hospital followed.

Throughout these years, Katie and Ralph were raising their young family in a century-old farmhouse in Edwardsburg, Michigan, surrounded by horses, cattle, dogs, and cats. Their annual summer pig roast became a beloved tradition, drawing more than 300 friends and family members to the farm.

Her career in government began when South Bend Mayor Joe Kernan recruited her from St. Joseph Hospital to serve as City Controller. During her four years in that role, she earned federal recognition for the accuracy and clarity of the city's financial reporting. While serving as controller, Katie also chaired the United Way campaign for St. Joseph County and volunteered numerous hours supporting organizations throughout South Bend.

In 1992, Governor Evan Bayh appointed Katie Deputy Director of the Indiana State Budget Agency. She began what would become a two-decade routine of commuting to Indianapolis on Monday mornings and returning home to South Bend on Friday evenings. During her time working in Indiana state government, she would serve as Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Administration, aide to Governor Bayh, deputy director at the Indiana Department of Health, and interim director of the Indiana Toll Road, and interim director of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Her final professional chapter brought her to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, where she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer until her retirement in 2012. As was always in Katie’s nature, alongside her work, she made time to volunteer with New Hope of Indiana, an Indianapolis-based organization serving individuals with disabilities.

Throughout her career, Katie was a passionate advocate for children's health and access to healthcare. Among her most significant contributions was her advocacy for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which expanded access to health coverage for children from families who might otherwise have gone uninsured.

Her contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including three Sagamore of the Wabash awards, bestowed by Governors Evan Bayh, Frank O'Bannon, and Joe Kernan. She also received the Athena Award from the South Bend Chamber of Commerce and an Outstanding Alumni Award from Indiana University South Bend.

After 20 years of weekly commuting between South Bend and Indianapolis, Katie announced her retirement with characteristic clarity:

“I'm not retiring. I'm going home.”

And home she went.

For Katie, home was never simply a place to live. She had a lifelong love of houses, particularly older homes that needed imagination, renovation, and redecorating. Over the years, she and Ralph bought and sold more than seven homes. Each offered another opportunity for Katie to exercise her creativity and make a house distinctly her own.

Her love of homes was inseparable from her love of entertaining. Katie was a passionate host who delighted in bringing people together. She was equally enthusiastic about being a guest and cherished the friendships and social occasions that filled her life. Holiday parties, entertaining out of town guests, and family get-togethers were all met with the same energy and abundance. Her annual John Adams High School reunion parties became legendary among her classmates and were among her happiest occasions. The friendships she formed throughout her life remained a source of enormous joy.

Retirement brought more time for the things she loved: traveling the world, entertaining and socializing with friends, enjoying her homes, and spending cherished time with her four grandchildren.

As a mother and grandmother, Katie brought the same combination of warmth, conviction, and emotion that characterized the rest of her life. She was loving, with high expectations and a deep commitment to her family. For all her professional accomplishments, family remained central to her life. One of the greatest gifts she gave her family was the joy of bringing everyone together through an annual New Year’s trip, where she delighted in creating new memories and sharing adventures with everyone - from mountain peaks to sunny beaches, and everywhere in between.

Katie lived a life of remarkable breadth. She was an educator, a public servant, a healthcare advocate, and a community leader. She was also an artist at heart, a lover of old houses, an enthusiastic traveler, a devoted friend, and a deeply loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

She brought intelligence, determination, warmth, and emotion to every chapter of her life. Her legacy lives on in the institutions she helped lead, the friendships she nurtured, the homes she created, and, above all, the family she loved.

The funeral will take place on Thursday, September 24th at Christ The King Catholic Church in South Bend Indiana. We will host a visitation service at 10am and a funeral mass at 11am. The church is located at 52473 State Hwy 933, South Bend, Indiana 46637. Funeral services will be provided by McGann Hay Funeral Home of South Bend. Attendees are welcome to send flowers to the church or make a donation in lieu of flowers to WNIT South Bend or The South Bend Art Museum. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers during this difficult time.

To share memories or to send condolences to the family, please visit: mcgannhay.com