Kathi Halpin
Kathi Halpin

Obituary of Kathi Halpin

On September 2, 2013, Kathi Relaford Halpin passed away peacefully following an 18-month struggle with ovarian cancer. She faced her diagnosis with courage and dignity, accepting its inevitability, but realizing that there was significant life yet to be lived. Kathi was born on November 9, 1953 in Ogden, Utah, to Benjamin and Gertrude (Harris) Relaford. She was raised in the small town of Mattawa, Washington. She attended Royal City Schools, graduating in 1972. Several years later, she attended South Sound Community College, obtaining an AA degree in Computer Assisted Drafting. Various employments took Kathi to Seattle, Washington, where she became reacquainted with Royal City High School classmate, Daniel Halpin. They married on September 22, 1993, and moved to Olympia, where Dan had accepted employment with the State Insurance Commissioner’s Office. The majority of Kathi’s working life was devoted to the banking industry, where she flourished, starting as a teller and rising through the ranks into management. Banking engaged her natural aptitudes in organization and technology, however, left unsatisfied Kathi’s artistic and creative abilities. This led her to change careers in mid life. After obtaining her AA degree in CAD, she became employed by the Washington State Parks Department, where her efforts designing and drafting plans for historic preservation projects provided her most fulfilling work. She was most proud of her role in several projects at Fort Worden State Park. Her talent was further demonstrated as the design of the remodel of her own home received the “Remodel of the Year” award from the Olympia Master Builders Association for 2006. Kathi was an intensely private person with unlimited imagination and inventiveness. She was a perfectionist who constantly sought to improve her product, which resulted in her redesigning and redecorating her own kitchen on three different occasions. She envisioned numerous projects, but was limited by her earthly time and desire for precision, so that at the time of her passing, she had only scratched the surface of her ingenuity. Kathi is survived by her husband of 20 years, Daniel Halpin; her mother, Gertrude “Trudy” Relaford; her brothers, Steve Relaford, Rob Relaford (Young); her sister, Sherry Linson; nephew, Trent Linson; and numerous members of the Halpin clan who forever will recall and miss Aunt Kathi’s quiet presence. She was predeceased by her father, Benjamin Relaford; and brother, Michael Relaford. Please leave memories of Kathi or condolences for her family in the Guestbook below.
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