Letter to Kate from her Dad at the gravesite service.

My Dearest Kate,

Where do I begin to express all the feelings which surround me this morning?

I want to share with you all the thanks we could ever have for you being such a wonderful daughter for us and fabulous sister for Mike. I often spoke of my lifework of building a special "Family Model." We have been blessed by you and Mike being the perfect daughter and son for us to watch our dream be a reality!

I want to thank you for being a strong individual with outstanding values of honesty, trust, and independence. So many times these values which have made you the special person which everyone loved, admired, and respected were ironically the same values which caused you and me to often have our differences. How silly all those arguments and disagreements have come to be at this time.

You have been everything I wanted in a little girl and beautiful young lady. I am forever proud to speak of you as my beautiful, independent, adventuresome daughter. Mom and I will visit you often and speak to you in a way only parents can about all the pleasures and good memories, which we retain forever.

I am so happy about your love for nature and the outdoors. Your many trips took you to some of the most majestic locations in the world and I know how good being in those spots made you feel. Thanks for giving me the special memories of our trips together to Las Vegas, Mount Washington, and Mt. Rainier. I hope to summit Rainier this September and you will be with me every step of the way.

I want to write forever and ever about you, and to you, but know that can’t happen. So before I end, I just want to say thanks for being the wonderful person you are and for making so many other people happy in your own quiet, unassuming and modest way. Thanks for always being there for little brother Mike…He’ll be sure to make you proud!

Your leaving us so young is hard, but I know you will want us to carry on, and so we’ll honor you by everyday remembering all you have taught us, and all the profound memories we have with you and about you, and try to make the world around us a little bit nicer in your memory.

We’ll rebuild our "Family Model" and use some of your best qualities including your spirit, determination, and love for life as our power to move forward… May we forever make you proud, as you have done so for us!

For Mom, Mike and me, …All Our Love Forever, Dad

03/08/02