Kathryn Lee Yoder

Kathryn Lee (Dent) Yoder was born in Grants Pass, Oregon on August 16th, 1962, and passed away in Seattle, Washington on October 5th, 2021 due to complications from a double lung transplant.

Kathy grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon and graduated in 1980 from Lake Oswego High School. She then went on to Southern Oregon University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business. She was in the paper industry for several years before working for the Portland Fire Bureau.

Kathy was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in her forties which caused many hospital stays and declining lung function, and eventually led her to early retirement. With help from her Oregon Health Sciences University Cystic Fibrosis team, Kathy doggedly pursued being placed on the University of Washington lung transplant list. After being on and off the list for several years and overcoming breast cancer twice, Kathy finally got the call she was waiting for July 8th, 2021.

Despite her illness, Kathy enjoyed life to the fullest and was very independent! Even during the pandemic, in 2021 she travelled to Mexico on her own. She was a voracious reader and kept her friend’s young by staying current on trends and music. She loved film, art, plays and a good laugh. She had a distinctive flair for decorating and a style of dressing that was all her own.

She was preceded in death by her beloved mother and father, Betty and Bob Dent. She leaves behind cousins, two brothers (spouses), a nephew, nieces and ex-sister- in law. Wonderfully, a few years ago she was able to make contact with her birth parents and their families, and she felt so lucky to have found them.

Kathy had many lifelong friends from childhood and college, and friends from work that she considered her family. Later in life Kathy met a dear group of friends with whom she enjoyed many fun times -going to brunch, happy hours, wine tasting and attending live music events. From this close circle of friends came together a “caretaker” group who stayed by her side during her last several months in the ICU. Kathy was deeply grateful for their support and will be forever missed by all her friends who loved her dearly.

Please send your name, email and phone number to receive a formal invitation to Kathy’s celebration of life. The event will take place in Portland, Oregon May 1st, 2022. Send to kathyyo@msn.com

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Oregon Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis. www.cff.org/Oregon/

Share Memories & Photos of Kathy on the Tribute Wall, located above.

Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle

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