Kathleen L. Atkins

Obituary Kathleen L. Atkins April 10, 1945 to December 8, 2014 Kathy (Mom) was born April 10, 1945 to James and Pauline Gibbardin Tacoma, WA. She passed away after a brief battle with cancer, December 8, 2014 in Columbus, GA. Mom was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William Atkins (1977); and her daughter, Debra Valencia (2012). Mom is survived by her brother, James Gibbard (Tacoma); children, Pamela (Joseph) Busenius, Columbus, GA, Stephanie (Brad) Hall, Centralia, WA, William (Jenifer) Atkins, Tacoma, WA; grandchildren, Joseph and Veronica Busenius, Trenton and Alyssa Hall, Ethan and Sophia Valencia (Albuquerque, NM) and Kiaya and William Atkins; step-children, Jim (Barb) Atkins, Joseph Atkins, Bill (Shawna) Atkins, Theresa Rausch and Kim Rosingana. When we were kids mom decided to try camping and she discovered that she loved it. We would spend time at the ocean, rivers, and the mountains for our camping trips. She tried to do everything she could to give us a great life. Mom made everything special for us. She would make us new pajamas for Christmas Eve so we would all look good for Christmas Morning pictures, this is a tradition her children have carried on. Mom's greatest passion was family and her four children meant the world to her but the eight grandchildren were her world, the moon, all the stars in heaven, her everything. The grandchildren were the benefit of surviving her own teenagers. In recent years, Mom had turned into a die-hard Seahawks fan. She would watch games even alone if she had too. She would tint her hair blue and green for the season. Everything mom did she did with passion. Mom retired in 2009 from Home Depot after 17 years. Retirement allowed for more time for the fun things in life, traveling and photography. Mom's pictures were usually of the grandkids but also the beach, sunsets, and Mount St. Helens. Mom was an avid traveler and nothing really stopped her from going, doing, and seeing what she wanted. A Funeral Mass is being held on Friday, June 12th at Noon at St. Leo's Catholic Church 710 South 13th St, Tacoma with interment following at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneycares.com.