Kathy Ellen Perkins

Kathy Ellen Perkins was born in Renton, Washington, to Phillip and Mary Dunstan on December 22, 1953.  She died with her husband Charlie and their two children, Alicia and David, at her bedside in her home, due to complications of ovarian cancer on July 2, 2023.  She was 69 years old.

She was a rare beauty and a friendly, vivacious joy to be around for all that knew her from her earliest days in school in North Hill Elementary, Olympic Jr. High and Mt. Rainier High School and on to Washington State University and then graduating from the University of Washington.

In the spring of her freshman year at WSU, she invited an old high school friend, Charlie Perkins who was attending UW, to her Chi Omega sorority dance.  Without a moment's hesitation, he said yes!  There, they immediately hit it off and were together as lifelong partners ever since.  It quickly became obvious a long distance relationship was not enough, so Charlie transferred to WSU, and after a two year courtship they married.  Kathy then put her college studies on hold and went to work to support them and put Charlie through school.  After moving back to Seattle, Kathy completed her college degree at the UW, earning a bachelor degree in nutritional science.  Shortly afterwards, she gave birth to Alicia and two years later, David.

When both her kids were in elementary school, she started and co-owned what became a very successful rubber stamp business, which always allowed her to be home for the kids.  She later took that experience and started and co-owned another very successful business, with her grown daughter, now located in Burien called Paper Delights.

But one of Kathy’s biggest delights were her four grandkids, Blake & Drew and Brody & Avery. She could not get enough of the four of them and always maintained an everlasting special relationship with each of them!

Kathy and Charlie loved to travel and visited many great US and foreign destinations across Europe, Australia, Thailand, Mexico, and Africa.  And she truly loved the outdoors and was always looking for another lengthy trail to hike and camp.

Kathy was small in stature, but a woman with a strong convictions and the will to make good things happen in the community and beyond.  She was dedicated to Mothers Against Violence, responsible gun ownership measures, and supported Planned Parenthood.

Diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer one year ago, she was resolute in doing all she possibly could to beat the odds, without the slightest bit of self pity. She bravely took the many rounds of debilitating chemotherapy and painful surgery without hesitation or complaint.  She was starting to recover from these, when emergency surgery found she only had a very short prognosis, which she accepted with grace as she said goodbye to family and close friends.  She will be deeply missed by all that knew her beauty inside and out.

She is preceded in death by her father, Phillip Dunstan and survived by her mother Mary (Burns) Dunstan, her husband Charles Perkins, their two children, Alicia Olsen (Garrett), David Perkins (Megan) and her four grandchildren.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Kubota Garden, on September 7th at 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please make a donation to the

Fred Hutch Cancer Center

At the ‘Direct My Gift’ pull-down, please select ‘Cancer Prevention and Early Detection’ and at the ‘Dedication’ section, choose ‘In Memory Of’ and add Kathryn Perkins.

To view more photos and share your condolences and memories of Kathy, please visit her Tribute Wall, located above.

- Care Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home -

Please direct Memorial Donations to the facility/charity listed in the obituary above