Kathleen Barrett, 81

Kathleen Louise Bennion Barrett passed away at home Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, surrounded by family. She was 81 years old. 

A funeral will be held Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel at 354 East A St. in Plummer, Idaho. There will be a viewing from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

Kathleen was born to Irving Hull Bennion and Jean Virginia Hinton Bennion on Aug. 25, 1942, in Spokane, Wash. She was the eldest of five children. She had a vivid imagination and entertained her younger siblings with stories and imaginative play. She attended a two-room schoolhouse on Moran Prairie until she started high school at Louis and Clark in Spokane and graduated in 1960. She attended Mills College in Oakland, Calif., majoring in English. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1964. On June 19, 1964, she married Robert Philip Barrett. They had met in high school and dated through college. The next 20 years saw them traveling with the Air Force. They lived for one year in Chandler, Ariz., at Williams Air Force Base, where Kathleen worked in a bakery and taught piano lessons. Then, they lived for four months in Tucson, Ariz., at Davis-Monthan AFB. Then, they lived for 13 months in Ipswich, England, at Bentwaters/Woodbridge Royal Air Force Station. They next lived for four months again at Davis-Monthan AFB. Their oldest child, David, was born in 1967 while there. Next, Kathleen and David lived in Spokane for eight months while Robert was in Vietnam. After Robert returned, they moved to Seymour-Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, N.C., for three years, where their second child, Andrea, was born. Then they moved to Dayton, Ohio, at Wright-Patterson AFB for two years. During this time, they adopted a daughter, Amy, who arrived from Korea. Next, the family moved to Lancaster, Calif., to Edwards AFB for three years. After that, the family moved to Bountiful, Utah. In 1980, Kathleen graduated law school from the University of Utah. She clerked for Justice Christine Durham of the Utah State Supreme Court, then worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the state of Utah. Robert and Kathleen divorced in 1985. In 1988, Kathleen moved to Tacoma, Wash., where she practiced law for Preston, Thorgrimson, Shidler, Gates & Ellis. Then, in 1997, she moved back home near Worley, Idaho, to be close to her aging parents. She worked with a startup supplement company and for a builder doing technical writing. In 2000, Kathleen was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she survived. After Kathleen’s mom died in 2003, Kathleen’s dad moved in with her full-time. In 2007, Kathleen and Robert were re-married. They used to joke that their divorce didn’t take. Kathleen’s dad died in 2010. Kathleen enjoyed her retirement. She spent her time working in her garden, singing, playing the piano and the organ. She worked on evaluating applications for educational scholarships. She attended musical, educational and sports events for her grandchildren. She remained very active until eight months before her death when she suffered a stroke, followed by several more strokes. 

The recurring themes in Katheen’s life were faith, family, music and literature. Kathleen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in many different positions but especially enjoyed and had a great gift for teaching. She also organized many family conferences during summer vacation time. These were mini-reunions combined with the teaching of gospel principles to educate and uplift her family, drawing them closer to each other and God. The family was always important to Kathleen. Her ex-husband and her children were at one point spread out all over the U.S., but over the years, all have returned to be closer by, in Washington. She was very happy to have gathered her family back. Throughout all her years, moves and locations, she played the piano and the organ at church. She led and sang in church choirs and community choirs, including the Northwest Sacred Music Chorale in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She also was a voracious reader and instilled a love of reading into her children.

Kathleen is survived by her husband, Robert P. Barrett; her three children, David G. Barrett (Laura) of Pullman, Wash., Amy S. Barrett Carr of Tacoma, Wash., and Andrea J. Barrett of Colfax, Wash.; her grandchildren, Erin Chorak (John), Jonathan Barrett (Amanda), Aidan Barrett, Jake Sowards, Ethan Sowards (Stephanie), Ronin Barrett, Bonden Barrett, Walker Barrett, Alexandra Smith, Gavin Carr, Grady Carr, Megan Lewis (Payton), Andrew Rowland (Kate), Ben Rowland, Claire Rowland; her great-grandchildren, James, Henry, Charlotte, Rory, Thomas and Fen. She is also survived by siblings Roy Bennion (Molly), Richard Bennion (Diane), Craig Bennion (Masayo), Marsha Giese (Sam) and innumerable nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family who will all miss her brilliant mind, her deeply held faith and her love and desire to unite her family through her faith and music.