Kathryn Ford

Kathryn Lynn Ford was born July 23, 1951 in Tacoma, Washington. Kat grew up in Port Orchard, Washington. She moved to Tonasket, Washington with her two daughters in 1978.

Kat worked as a bartender, cocktail waitress and sorted and packed apples in Chief Tonasket Warehouse. Kat had a lot of friends. She enjoyed camping, fishing, swimming, cutting firewood, stock car races in Republic, riding horses and herding cattle on the Colville Indian Reservation. Kat was an avid pinochle and cribbage player. She was an all around good person and friend. She loved to party-hardy.

Kat moved to Maple Valley, Washington 30 years ago. She worked as a Flagger for two years. Then she went on to work for Starline Luxury Coach for 19 years. Kat started as a bus driver, then became a dispatcher and then moved to operations.

Kat enjoyed traveling whenever she got the chance. She traveled to South America twice, Mexico and many states, as she traveled with her family and friends. Kat also enjoyed coming home to Tonasket to visit friends.

Kat passed away peacefully at home after a two-year-long fight against melanoma cancer on Sunday, September 6, 2020, in Maple Valley.

She is preceded in death by her father, Hubert Conover; her mother, Ruth Conover (nee Sargeant), her brother, Bill Conover, her sister, Karen Conover and her nephew, Jeff Conover.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Tracy and Jeff Steffens of Maple Valley; daughter and son-in-law, RuthAnn and Ty Simpson of Lynnwood, Washington; her sister, Gwen Jones of Vancouver, Washington; her sister-in-law, Bette Conover (nee Mosley) of Port Townsend, Washington; niece, Lisa Christman of Bellflower, California; niece, April Kearchner (nee Conover) of Auburn, Washington; nephew, Everett Christman of Stanwood, Washington; nephew, Todd (Grace) Conover of Kenmore, Washington; great-nieces, Kimberly, Amithyst, Lauren, Megan; great-nephews, John, Jason and Zach; grandchildren, Robert and Angelina (Colon) Pellegrini of Kent, Washington; Tina (nee Pellegrini) and Daniel Norton of Kent, Washington; great-grandchildren, Michael, Anthony, Dante, Tyreece and Carter.

A memorial for Kat will be held July 23, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Tonasket Eagles Hall. A luncheon to follow.