Kathleen Evon Kraft

"To know her was to love her. She had a heart so big, it is a wonder there was room for anything else. She was just so beautiful inside and out." Kathleen passed away on March 2, 2014 after a long illness at the age of 78 years. Kathleen Evon McCourt was born in Columbia, UT on July 29, 1935 to Lewis and Lavenia McCourt and was one of four children. When WWII broke out, the family moved to Vancouver, WA where her mother and father both worked in the shipyards. Kathleen attended Lieser Grammar School, MacLoughlin Jr. High and graduated at Vancouver High School in 1953. On Sat., July 10, 1954, she married Elmer M. Kraft. They were the very first couple married at St. Joseph Catholic Church, one day before it officially opened for Mass on Sunday. Kathy (as she was known by all who knew her) and Elmer had three children, Michael, Patrick and Janice. She always put her family in front of everyone no matter what. She never missed a ball game (even when the child was 30), a concert, or any event her kids were involved in. Games were a family event in the family for all to participate and to be close to the family. The names of the games changed over the years, but the players never did. She loved her family and her grandchildren very much. Kathy worked as a waitress in the 60's for Onslow's Restaurant in downtown Vancouver and at Don's Sport Center. At 75 years old, she could still carry two plates on each arm. And cook. She made fried chicken and spaghetti that her grandchildren would drive 500 miles for. Kathy was very active in the church as organizer of the arts and crafts booths at the Vancouver Sausage Fest held on the church grounds to raise money for the Catholic school for many years. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, which organized events and activities in coalition with the Knights of Columbus. Kathy enjoyed playing Pinochle with her ladies group and at the Elks with her husband, crocheting, and embroidering. When everyone in the family had their afghan's, she then enjoyed making them for the disabled veterans at the VA in Vancouver. She always knew how to put a smile on a face. When Kathy was in a room, you knew it. She had a laugh that was unmistaken. Once a family friend told her that he could hear that laugh coming from the Sausage Fest late one night, and he lived four blocks away. She was the kind of person that made you feel comfortable to be around, whether an old friend or someone she didn't know at all. If you met her once, you felt like you have known her your whole life. She just had a way of making everyone around her feel at ease. Kathy was very proud of her Irish heritage and at 4'10", she was not afraid of anyone or anything. She once walked up and shook Richard M. Nixon's hand at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. He really didn't have a choice in the matter. If she was attending a wedding reception at a hotel and found out there were more than one, she would seek them out and had no problem walking right up to the bride and groom in the reception line (taking cuts of course), introducing herself and ultimately be invited to stay and help celebrate the occasion. And if the festivity was boring before she got there, it sure wasn't anymore. Kathy is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Elmer; her sons, Michael and Patrick; daughter, Janice Samander (Jeff Siekman, who will always be a member of her family); and three grandchildren, Jason, Sean and Nicholas (Mandy). She was preceded in death (in order) by her sister, Barbara; her parents, Lewis and Lavenia McCourt; her brothers, Elwood Mace (Sacramento, CA) and David McCourt. She is loved and will be missed by many people. A funeral Mass will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 400 S. Andresen Road, Vancouver, WA at 11:00 a.m. on Fri., March 7, 2014. Recitation of the Rosary prior to Mass will be at 10:30 a.m.

Kathleen Evon Kraft

July 29, 1935 - March 2, 2014