Kathleen Hale Webb

Kathleen Hale Webb, The Lovely and Talented November 20, 1942 a€"March 8, 2009

LIBERTY - Kathleen Hale Webb, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away Sunday, March 8, 2009, surrounded by her loving family.

Kathleen was born on November 20, 1942, 10 months after her sister Lizzy. They had a glorious childhood filled with imaginative and real adventures, admixed with singing, puppet shows, dressing up, and sharing everything. They were the best of friends for a lifetime.

Kathleen was a beautiful, loquacious, brilliant, fun loving and witty child. She made friends easily with everyone and pulled her more quiet sister into many wonderful experiences as a result. Kathleen was an avid reader and student of history. She was also a gifted watercolorist as a child. She graduated with honors from East High School and completed a BA degree from the University of Utah in three years with a double major in History and English, Phi Beta Kappa. During her college years she developed numerous enduring friendships in her sorority, Chi Omega, which gave her many hours of pleasure and comfort over the years.

The highlight of her college experience was her courtship with Richard Creer Webb, her lifelong best pal, sweetheart, and dedicated husband. They were married December 18, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple. Richard was the love of her life, to whom she was fiercely loyal and totally dedicated. They initially lived in France and Germany where Kathleen taught high school history and English while Richard served as an officer in the US Army Signal Corp. They settled in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1968 where they raised their two children, Elizabeth and Rich. Kathleen deeply loved her children to whom she gave unconditional love, laced with fun and humor.

Kathleen was active in many activities, including callings in the LDS Church and as Trustee of the Michigan Opera Theater. Kathleen loved to dress up. The Webbs had an active social calendar, at which the ''The Lovely and Talented'', as Richard called her, would shine with her sparkling wit and beautiful persona. She had a great sense of humor that left all around her laughing uncontrollably on many occasions. She was also an avid golfer at the Oakland Hills Country Club. Richard and Kathleen also enjoyed horseback riding and skiing, and moved to Liberty, Utah in 2002 to enjoy these activities. They traveled widely including to India, China, Europe and South America.

Kathleen''s life was defined by her courageous response to lifelong illness. She was struck by a car at age 18 and spent 6 months recovering from a serious brain injury. After being married only 3 years she developed Lupus, which caused her to lose her firstborn son and endure many hospitalizations for life threatening complications throughout her life. Despite these travails, she remained buoyant in spirit with intense vigor for life. She was always singing. She refused to ever acknowledge her limitations, even when two strokes took away all of her ability to communicate with language. She had great self confidence and resolve. Even when she was completely unable to speak or read, she continued to attend social activities with her characteristic smile and sparkle. Kathleen was also fearless. Despite weakness and ill health, she went on many horseback riding trips with her husband Richard and was given an award for her tenacity in climbing Grizzly Ridge in the high Uintah Mountains. She and Richard had many joyful hours of fun made possible by Richard''s dedicated service to her as her caregiver and cheerleader. To him, she was a hero as well as his sweetheart and best pal.

Kathleen is survived by her husband Richard Creer Webb, and two of their three children, Elizabeth Hale Webb Kurucz, and Richard Hale Webb, and three grandchildren.

She is also survived by her sister Elizabeth Hale Hammond, brother Michael Richard Hale, sister in law Mickey Lieber Hale, and their families.

She was preceded in death by her oldest son, John Edward Webb, her parents Edward Girard and Ruth Hansen Hale, and her brother, Edward Girard VB Hale.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Nordic Valley Ward Chapel, 2900 North Highway 162, Eden.

Friends may call at Lindquist''s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Boulevard on Wednesday, March 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday, March 12 at the Ward Chapel from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Interment will be in the Salt Lake City Cemetery on Friday, March 13 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kathleen''s name to the Lupus Foundation of America, www.lupus.org

Send condolences to the family at: www.lindquistmortuary.com

Kathleen was one of those rare and special souls who was admired and adored by all who were blessed to know her, and she will be dearly missed.