Elizabeth K McCord

Elizabeth Kittrell McCord, wise and beautiful spirit, departed this earth on October 6, 2016. Chronic illnesses had become acute in recent months. She faced the end of her life with courage, grace, and the support of a deeply caring caregiver team and spiritual community.

She leaves behind two beloved daughters: Brie and Anne Childers, their spouses, and grandchildren, Asher, Lyla, and Eli. And she leaves treasured friends and community by whom she was well loved.

Thankfulness for all life gave her was most important to Kittrell. Her excellent education, much travel, art, classical music and dance were strong foundations. She married a year after graduating from Columbia University. She was most grateful to have known real and deep love with her husband, and for the joy of mothering her two beautiful daughters.

Kittrell became a single parent when her husband left. Yet she finished an MBA, and soon became an independent management consultant, work she loved. She was a pioneer in passive solar design, alternative energy research, energy conservation, downtown and real estate projects, and then a key player in making residential Denver the first non-coastal downtown success.

At age 44, suddenly her health failed. Then three years later, after a head and neck injury, she filed for disability. She had huge grief to no longer be working, and considered it the greatest spiritual challenge of her life. Thus began the journey to find teachers, communities, spiritual practices, movements which resonated with her spirit.

She was guided by an angel of a spiritual director for 20 some years, and became a Benedictine oblate in 2000. She experienced Buddhism again, in a wonderful Seattle sangha for many years. In 2005 she became a multi-faith spiritual director in Tucson, AZ.

On Whidbey Island, the joys of Sufi turning became life affirming in her 25-year struggles with increasing chronic illnesses and pain. The spiritual journey gave her compassion for all who suffer, opened her heart, and deepened her faith, prayers, and love for all beings. She said she wouldn’t have traded this journey for anything.

Arrangements entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home, Oak Harbor, WA. Please visit Kittrell’s page in the Book of Memories online at www.wallinfuneralhome.com to share memories and leave condolences.