Kathleen Teresa Stretton

Kathleen was born August 21, 1927 to James Joseph and Anne Pauline Price. She was born at the home of her grandmother in Blairmore, Alberta, Canada where Kathleen lived with her mother and extended-maternal family until she about a year old. Kathleen then moved with her mother to re-join her father in the United States. In those days births were not typically done in hospitals, they were done at home. As her father was an immigrant to the United States from Ireland and there was no other immediate family in the United States it was deemed best for her mother to have her child at the home of her mother in Canada.

Kathleen was raised in New Jersey. Early in elementary school, her teachers wanted her to skip a grade due to her academic aptitude. Her mother gave it some thought, but vetoed against such a move as she believed children needed to thrive both academically and socially. Her mother felt skipping a grade would be a social disadvantage.

Kathleen attended St Cecilia’s Catholic High School in Englewood, New Jersey during which the later-to-be famous Green Bay Packer’s football coach Vince Lombardi taught and coached. Kathleen remembered his gym classes as extremely tough, but most memorable to her was his saying, “If you are not 15 minutes early you are late!” In high school Kathleen loved theater, poetry, and reading plays. Even in her 80’s she could still recite many lines of Shakespeare.

After high school she began working in Manhattan at the New York Telephone Company. It was during her 20’s that she met her future husband, Thomas John Stretton. They were married in 1951. Thomas was from Brooklyn, NY and like her father, both of his parents were immigrants from Ireland.

In the ensuing years they had three daughters, Pamela, Lynn Mary (died shortly after birth), and Patricia. In 1965 Thomas’ job at the Bayonne, NJ shipyard was closing and a relocation took them to Bremerton, Washington. Of the possible locations to choose for their relocation Kathleen voted for Washington. Besides her maternal family in Western Canada, she and her husband spent their honeymoon in Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. Kathleen could not forget the extreme beauty of the West and therefore, Washington seemed like the ideal location.

During her years in Bremerton, Kathleen’s Washington friends introduced her to camping. Subsequently Kathleen spearheaded her family into camping trips throughout Washington, Oregon, Western Canada and even cross-country to the East Coast.

Kathleen’s husband passed away in 1976 due to heart disease. Kathleen remained in Bremerton through the mid-90’s. During these years she enjoyed her time with her garden, playing bingo, socializing with her lady friends, many of whom had relocated from New York in 1965 as well. Her group was often referred to as the “New Yorkers.”

Kathleen left Bremerton to follow her youngest daughter to Bellevue, Washington. This enabled her to travel. While not in Bellevue with her youngest daughter, she would spend extended time with her oldest daughter in California, other family members in Palm Springs and the East Coast and of course, all her grandchildren.

Kathleen was a very private person; she was dedicated to her family and especially her grandchildren – including her grand-dogs. She was a very generous person, always giving to those in need or less fortunate. She was famous for loving her sweets and a cup of tea!! Her penchant for sweets was well known. To her daughters’ chagrin she would surreptitiously leave candies for her grandchildren in their rooms so they could privately have a treat!

Kathleen is survived by her daughters Pamela Bugbee and Patricia Irion, grandchildren Bridget Bugbee, Joseph Bugbee, Sarah Irion, Thomas Irion, and William Irion, her sister Patricia Kavanagh, brother-in-law James Kavanagh, brother Fred Price, sister-in-law Estelle Price and numerous cousins, nephews, nieces and grand-nephews and grand-nieces.

A Funeral Service will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 4215 Pine Rd NE, Bremerton, WA 98310 Thursday July 9, 2026 – 11:00 am - 12:00 pm with a reception to follow in the Holy Trinity Social Hall. Interment 2:00 pm at Miller Woodlawn Memorial Park, 5505 Kitsap Way, Bremerton, WA 98312.

Donations in memory of Kathleen can be made to the American Alzheimer’s Association https://donorservices.alz.org/page/FUNXAHXKQNE.