Kathleen Cado passed away on Friday, July 20, 2007 from complications with her long struggle with kidney disease.
The guiding principal of Kathy’s life was her commitment to justice; to always do the right thing. Whether it was social, economic or personal justice, her goal was to ensure that all people were treated fairly and that society and the powers-that-be never trod on the less fortunate. As a self-described “major consumer of health care services” one of her greatest commitments was to make certain that no one suffered from lack of health care.
Her commitment extended to so many other areas — recently, when a friend died Kathy kept Marie’s memory alive by arduously organizing a scholarship fund. Similarly, she worked with battered women, supported polycystic kidney research efforts, stood for peace, worked on community issues; be it a needed swimming pool, a school levy or land use concerns. She could not abide hypocrisy and she exhibited uncommon courage and integrity in everything she did regardless of the personal costs to her.
Of course, her ideals and commitment to a better world led her to the Democratic Party. For more than 40 years she dedicated all the energy she could muster to the Democratic Party and its candidates in Urbana, Ill., Seattle and on Whidbey Island — she was a proud liberal and the proverbial “yellow dog.”
At one point in her political activities, long before there were paid signature gatherers, she organized the signature gathering effort for an initiative to remove the sales tax from food, setting a record for the number of signatures ever gathered in King County.
She loved to be around people and had an extraordinary ability to connect with anyone. Her incomparable sense of humor could be quirky and at times on the dark side. Her laugh was infectious and unlike any other. It will be so missed but never forgotten by all who knew her.
She was born in Youngstown, Ohio on April 10, 1945, always proud that she lived two days under Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency. She moved to Pomona, Calif. for her junior high and high school years and attended college in Utah, where she honed her social conscience, married and gave birth to her children.
She moved to Urbana, Ill. in 1968 and graduated from Eastern Illinois University. In 1976, she married Ken, moved to Seattle and then resided on Whidbey Island for the last seven years.
She was preceded in death by her father, Erwin Fahr, her mother and stepfather Betty and Harry Hack, and her brothers Rudy and Werner Fahr.
Surviving her are her loving husband Ken of Whidbey Island; her daughter Kris Emanuel and grandson Max Greyerbiehl; son Tom Emanuel (Rebecca) and granddaughter Ella; nephew Rick Fahr, all of Seattle; her niece Nicole Fahr of Sacramento, Calif.; and her beloved pets, Darcy, Maya and Lily.
A celebration of her life will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Freeland Hall, 1515 Shoreview Drive. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served.
To honor Kathy’s memory and continue her legacy, we are establishing an internship for young people to work on health care issues. Contributions may be sent to the Kathleen Cado Memorial Fund, c/o Whidbey Island Bank, PO Box 628, Freeland, WA 98249.
