Kathleen "Kathy" Eleanor Sanders Culp-Cowin

Kathy was born in Everett, WA in 1939, lived in Seatt1e,and moved to the Spokane Valley as a child. Her father taught her to fish and she enjoyed that, continuing that sport well into her mid thirties. She also loved to sew and began sewing her own clothes at an early age. She made most of her own clothes

and later her daughter's clothes. After graduating high school in 1957, Kathy took her first banking job in Spokane.

Marrying Dennis E. Culp, her high-school sweetheart on July 26, 1958, they started a strong life together living in different places until settling in the

Yakima Valley in 1968. Kathy went to work for Seattle-First National Bank on the New Accounts desk, and later became Assistant Manager of the Sunnyside

branch. She took many banking courses and had an insatiable hunger for learning. She was a very strong and determined person in many areas of life.

Dennis would take her car from work and buy her a new one every couple of years. She said that she never knew what she was going to walk out and find in her parking spot at work. In 1979, Dennis bought Kathy her first BMW and from that point on, she would drive no other kind of car. Dennis brought home a different car once and she made him take it back to the dealer. She would have no part of that anymore. i

In 1985, after retiring from the bank and needing to stay busy, she opened "Kathy's Sewing Center". Because she enjoyed knitting, her sewing center sold

knitting and sewing supplies, sewing machines, and sergers, meanwhile, Dennis repaired sewing machines and sergers.

In 1988, to be closer to her family, Kathy and Dennis moved to Yakima, where she once again went into banking and worked at Central Valley Bank on Yakima Avenue. Kathy became a member of the Yakima Beta Sigma Phi sorority and was honored the chapter Sweetheart, Preceptor Zeta, in 1995.

She had many talents. Other nether than banking, fishing, sewing and knitting, Kathy enjoyed gardening and had beautiful rose, iris and flower gardens. Kathy could tell you the name of any plant, flower and tree. In the mid sixties, Kathy took upfloral arranging and did beautiful work, making most of her own for home.

After 36 years of marriage, Dennis passed away and Kathy temporarily took his position as the Worship leader at their church. She participated in The March

for Jesus parades and met Don Cowin, of Wapato, through Christian activities. They married in 1997 and together they studied Theology, which earned her a Masters of Theology through Christian Life School of Theology, becoming faithful in the jail ministry. The two of them went on many mission trips to Indonesia and the Philippines, where they narrowly escaped death. Some of her other travels included Ireland, Alaska, and Israel. She enjoyed the beach and visited Cannon Beach and Lincoln City, Oregon, and Hawaii many times.

Until Don's death in 2010, Kathy stayed busy working at the Hallmark stores and enjoyed the customers she met. Kathy also had an incredible love for children and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

Kathy is survived by one child, Jolene Choate (Dennis), and two grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Justin Choate, two brothers, Harold Jr. of Seattle and Joe of

Anacortes, along with many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. She is also survived by an extended family from her second marriage, including David and Cari Cowin of Yakima, and their family, and a dear friend, Mary Embree of

Sunnyside, WA.

Mom is preceded in death by both of her parents, Harold L. and Kathleen F., her first husband, Dennis, and her second husband, Don, her sister, Mary E. Rozell and a nephew, Joey M. Sanders.

Thank you to all the staff of Cedar Hills. Your caring help is deeply appreciated and I had peace of mind knowing that she was cared for by you.

There will be a graveside service on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at Terrace Heights Memorial Park followed by a memorial service at Central Assembly of God.

To share a memory of Kathleen, please visit www.keithandkeith.com

Arrangements under the direction of Keith & Keith Funeral Home, Yakima, WA.