Kathleen Marie Boettcher Smith died on Sept. 23, 2012, following a brief illness. Kathleen was born on July 22, 1921, to Ernest and Peggy Boettcher of Alder, Wash., a place that was dear to her all of her life. From her childhood, she was happiest wandering the woods of Washington. Her knowledge of the flora and fauna ran deep and she loved sharing it with family and friends. She graduated from Eatonville High School in 1938 and left home for nursing school at the age of 17. Her career as a registered nurse took her to Tacoma General, Morton, Harborview and Swedish hospitals. As a Navy lieutenant in World War II, she served in naval hospitals at Bremerton and on Tinian. Upon her return, she completed her bachelor of science in nursing at the University of Washington in 1948. She married Ladd in 1947 and shared nearly 65 years of love and adventure with him. Kathleen was a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ and she enjoyed sharing her faith. She taught Sunday school to multiple generations of children. Kathleen loved people and had a warm and generous spirit. She was a loyal friend to many and a passionate fan of her 12 grandchildren. She loved the out-of-doors, the bustle of downtown Seattle, her garden, basketball, train travel, the Pike Place Market, meeting people from around the world, being with children and youth, summer picnics and playing games. She is survived by her husband, Ladd; son Andrew (Sandy); daughters Ladeen (Steve) Miller, Laura (Bill) Brown, and Mollie (Carl) Albrecht; grandchildren Marshall (Amy) Miller, Nicholas (Shelly) Miller, Claire (Tom) Loh, Lynne Smith, Katy Smith, Duncan Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Alice Brown, Lily Albrecht, George Albrecht, Rose Albrecht and Ben Albrecht; two great-grandchildren, Ladd Miller and Oscar Loh; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Seattle's Union Gospel Mission (www.ugm.org), Taproot Theatre Company (taproottheatre.org), or King County Explorer Search and Rescue (P.O. Box 1266, North Bend, WA 98045, www.ksesar.org). A memorial service was held on Sept. 29 at Magnolia Presbyterian Church.
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