Kathleen Ann Smith, fondly known as Kitty, passed away in Sequim on Monday, May 10, 2021. She was the youngest of four, born to Virgil and Aileen Kocher on Aug. 19, 1946, in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1963, she met her husband, Ed, at the local library in Aberdeen when she was starting her senior year in high school. They spent almost every weekend together from that point on and were eventually married on Sept. 12, 1964.
When Ed retired from teaching, they moved to the Methow Valley and enjoyed the beautiful area for over 20 years, as well as Ed coaching the Liberty Bell High School girls’ basketball team for a few years before moving to Sequim to be closer to family. This past September, they celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary and their commitment to one another has been a beautiful example of what it means to love unconditionally, for better or for worse.
A famous writer once said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” If that’s true, then Kitty made a great life. She was such a selfless woman, always making sure everyone else was taken care of before herself. There was also no such thing as a stranger to her. If you were 3 years old or 90 years old and sat anywhere in close proximity to her, you could expect a kind greeting and a conversation as if you were a long-lost friend. The concept of kindness to strangers was not lost as we saw its impact and importance in the lives of everyone she touched. Her faith in God shaped all that she was and the kindness of her Savior flowed through her to everyone she met. She will be dearly missed.
She was preceded in death by both of her parents and her sister, Linda. She is survived by her husband, Ed; her four children, Marci (Todd) Anderson, Eddie (Jen) Smith, Julie (Ed) Rickert, and Kristi; her brother, Virg; her sister, Ruth; her four grandchildren, Katie (Joshua) Franklin, Ella (Matt) Blacken, Brielle, and Cole; and her great-granddaughter, Reese.
