‘A gentle heart’: Woman fatally shot in Iowa remembered during funeral in Lenexa
Family and friends of Micalla Rettinger, who grew up in Lenexa and who was the victim of a seemingly random shooting in Iowa, gathered Friday to remember the young woman known for her caring spirit.
The funeral Mass was held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa.
“She was a woman with a gentle heart,” Father Gerard Alba told mourners.
He said Rettinger wanted to care for all creatures, big and small, noting her love for animals.
On Sunday, the 25-year-old was driving on a highway in Waterloo, Iowa, when she was struck in the neck by a bullet. Her boyfriend Adam Kimball, whom Rettinger was picking up from work, was also injured.
Alba said when the pair was injured, Rettinger, motivated by love and concern, was able to pull the car over safely. She died at the scene.
Maj. Joe Leibold of the Waterloo Police Department said Friday that there was no update on the case. Earlier in the week, authorities said there was nothing to indicate the occupants of the vehicle were involved in anything that would cause them to be targeted.
While growing up in Lenexa, she felt a responsibility for the well-being of others.
When she hosted a sleepover as a child, her entire class was invited because she didn’t want anyone to be left out. It was “a packed house,” Alba said.
One friend said she had known Rettinger since they were 3 years old, having become friends in preschool. The woman said Rettinger “lit up the room.” She said she was still in shock over her friend’s sudden death.
Rettinger attended Park Hill High School in Kansas City where she was an all-state and all-Metro softball player.
She went on to play softball at the University of Northern Iowa and graduated in 2016 with a degree in biology.
Several former teammates attended the service. Aubrey Bland, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, said Rettinger was known as “Mama KK” because she was always looking out for her teammates, ensuring that they had their gear and their uniforms.
“She was the kindest person,” Bland said, “an all around amazing person.”
Students at Holy Trinity Catholic School, just across the street from the church, lined the sidewalk to honor Rettinger following the funeral.
Rettinger’s father said earlier this week that his daughter had been preparing to go to dental school and that she and Kimball were planning to get married.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Waterloo Police Department Investigations Division at 319-291-4340 Option 7.
