Kathleen Joyce (Hofkamp) Nienhuis, 72, Oak Harbor, passed away Feb. 18, 2019 at home in the arms of Eldred, her husband of 54 years.

Born Aug. 16, 1946 in Worthington, Minn., she moved to Oak Harbor with her family in 1957 from their farm in Leota, Minn.

Kathy was a breast cancer survivor and then died after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

She graduated from Oak Harbor High School in 1964 and married Eldred on July 10, 1964. Their wedding was the first one held in the current First Reformed Church building.

Kathy was very active lifetime member of First Reformed Church. You could generally find her in the kitchen cooking for church dinners, Holland Happening, or providing meals to church and community members in need.

Anyone was welcomed into her home and she always had baked goods on the table.

She especially loved children and had an in-home daycare for many years.

Several of the children and families in her daycare are still close family friends.

Most of all she loved her family and spent many summers camping at Baker Lake, Lake Curlew and Lake Pearrygin.

Kathy is survived by her husband Eldred; brothers Ken, Keith and Kevin Hofkamp; sister Patty Syreen; her children Wendy (Randy) Pleasance, Nathaniel (Lanae) Nienhuis, Matthew (Elizabeth) Nienhuis and Sarah Nienhuis; and the grandchildren who she loved the most, Emily (Jose), Meredith, Grant, John, Titus, Anika and Phoebe.

The family would like to thank Whidbey Health MAC nurses and WhidbeyHealth Hospice nurses Jeremy and Luka, and Dr. Sanders, for her end-of-life care.

Please direct any memorials to First Reformed Church– Children of the Promise orphanage in Haiti.

Memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019 at First Reformed Church, Oak Harbor.

Family and friends are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.whidbeymemorial.com