Obituary:
"Absolute devotion to family, many good laughs with life-long friends, helping any kid love to learn, taking long walks with golden retrievers, power-shopping the Nordstrom's Fall Sale, and sipping cold chardonnay on a deck with a great view of the sunset: Katie's special recipe for a life well-lived. Katie was born in Lewiston, Idaho to Mary P. (Church) and Neal Eaden, and grew up in Seattle where she was active in Rainbow Girls and was a founding member of the Lorikeets. She was a 1958 graduate from Roosevelt High and went on to attend Stanford University and the University of Washington, where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees. Katie met Jake in 1959 on a blind date, arranged by mutual friends. They went water skiing on Lake Washington. Maybe it was Katie's swimsuit; maybe it was Jake's impressive jump start. They were together from there on, although they did have to delay their marriage until Katie received her degree in 1961, because Jake needed someone to support him through graduate school. She began her mission as an educator teaching English to inner-city high school students in Cincinnati, Ohio, then taught junior high in South Lyon, Michigan, and Kindergarten with her dear friend Cheetah Dolven at Edison Elementary School in Kennewick. After returning to the University of Washington to complete her master's degree in Library Science, she oversaw the libraries at Hawthorne and Lincoln Elementary schools in Kennewick before moving in to the principal's office at Edwin Markham Elementary in Pasco. From there, she went on to serve as principal at Robert Frost and then Ruth Livingston elementary schools in Pasco. Katie put in the 80-hour week before the 60-hour week was even fashionable, working tirelessly to improve the quality of education that her students received. In her spare time, Katie was an adjunct for Washington State University, a volunteer at Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery, and a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and Women Investing their Mad Money. Katie is survived by her husband of 47 years, Jake; her son and daughter-in-law, Burke and Kelly Hales of Corvallis, Oregon; her daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Kevin Ard of Kennewick; grandchildren, Henry and Josh Hales, and Eleanor and Amelia Ard; her sister and brother-in-law, Maribeth and Burke Hales of Seattle; her sister and brother-in-law, Eleanor and Richard Taylor, of Edmonds; and her brother and sister-in-law, David and Lois Eaden, of Edmonds; her sister-in-law, Andrea Hales, of Fallbrook, California; many nieces and nephews; and countless friends old and new. If you were lucky enough to call her family, indulge yourself in the reality that, regardless of what everyone else thinks about you, Katie honestly did think you were the greatest thing ever. When you share a weekend with life-long friends, have a good solid laugh and remember Katie. When you find a child who doesn't realize how badly they want to learn, summon up your patience and teach her the way to do it so that it's fun, just like Katie would have done. If you come across a great big, bouncy dog, give him a long, hard scratch between the ears and throw him a stick for Katie's sake. When the sun starts to slip down on the horizon, remember that it's time to open the fridge, pull the cork and raise your glass, "to good old Kate." And when you find yourself at the fall sale, and you don't know if you can justify that navy blazer, because you already have two, remember that Katie would have had the good sense to realize that it's a steal for that price and it would be a shame to let it go, because it's 100% wool and fully lined, so take out your Nordy's card, swipe that thing, and say, "thank you, Katie!"
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/kathryn-hales-obituary?id=28815848
I and Stig Lundstrom met Katie with her husband Jake in Sweden almost 30 years ago. I was impressed by her kindness and interest in other people, her knowledge and also patience to explain different questions . We have met several times since then both in Sweden and in USA. The last time was in Seattle with my son Magnus and his girlfriend in 1994. We had a lovely time together in Seattle and on a day tour to Mount Rainier together with her family. I will never forget Katie and her lovely family. I miss you Katie.
Gunilla Bodin
This Spring I was going through some old pictures and ran across a picture of two children from 1973. Their names were Sarah and Burke Hales. Their mother was Katie Eaden Hales. I was anticipating our reunion this summer as I had lost touch with Katie and I wanted to recall with her the many fun times we had giggling our way through Nathan Eckstein. I was devastated one morning when I opened up the paper and her beautiful face was smiling at me from the obituary pages.
Nancy Oldenburg Cordry
Katie Eaden Hales was an amazing woman, a wonderful friend. She was witty and fun, adventuresome, mischievous and wise. She had that quick, quirky, sense of humor that seems to be the special province of the very intelligent. She had a way of seeing things others did not, and she invariably laughed uproariously at her
own jokes.
After leaving Roosevelt she attended Stanford University. (We were all so impressed)! But it wasn't long after meeting the love of her life, Jake, that she migrated north to the UW so they could be closer. They were married right after she graduated in December 1961. As the two of them traveled to pursue his post graduate degrees, she taught English to inner-city high school students in Cincinnati, then junior high English in South Lyon, Michigan, and finally Kindergarten in Kennewick. She later returned to UW to earn a master's degree in Library Science. She enjoyed her stint as overseer of the library program in two schools, but it was her next career move that brought her the most satisfaction. As anyone who has been associated with elementary school education can attest, it is the principal who sets the tone for the entire school. And this was Katie's next position. Here at last her gifts of administration, teaching and communication, her love of learning, enthusiasm and ability to inspire were fully utilized. No doubt Katie would have been hugely successful at any career she chose, but here she found her passion. She worked tirelessly to inspire teachers and kids alike to love learning, to get excited about the world around them, to challenge themselves, explore, imagine, create. As her daughter Sarah said, "She put in the 80 hour week before the 60 hour week was even fashionable."
Aside from her professional work, she served as an adjunct for WSU as well as a loyal volunteer for the Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and Women Investing Their Mad Money. And yet, she always had time for her family and many friends--especially her family! For Katie each family member from Jack right down to the youngest grandchild was positively the best, brightest, funniest, absolutely dearest person on planet Earth. To be her grandchild was to be the center of the universe.
Although her time on this earth was far too short for all those who loved her, she epitomized a life well-lived.
We miss you, Katie!
Margaret Shaw Dasso
"Katie Eaden was always kind to me, and loved to give me hugs...she had a wonderful smile."
Joan Garlick Yant