Kathleen Kay Minzel

Kathy Minzel passed away peacefully on Nov. 30, 2025 at the age of 88 in Seattle, Washington. She is survived by her children, Jeffrey Minzel and Jennifer Michaels, granddaughters Hadley and Chloe Michaels, Ashley Sharma and Alivia Johnson.

Kathy was born January 25, 1937 in American Falls, Idaho and moved to Nampa, Idaho with her family when she was in the third grade. She graduated from the College of Idaho with a degree in Chemistry, minor in English, and a secondary teaching degree. She loved the medical world and decided to pursue medicine over teaching. After college, she moved to Seattle and received her certification in medical technology at Children’s Orthopedic Hospital. She worked at Doctor’s Hospital, Swedish Hospital and then for many years at a Seattle fertility clinic where she directed the lab up until her retirement at age 75!

She was thrilled to relocate to the “big city” of Seattle coming from the small town in which she grew up, and never lost her youthful excitement for the activities, arts and restaurants that Seattle offered. She loved working and being busy, whether it was at the lab, in her garden, managing her rentals, or organizing her house. She always maintained that her greatest and most loved career though was that of being a mother and grandmother. She prided herself on being independent and was a wonderful role model for her granddaughters. She was quick to laugh and gregarious by nature. She always rooted for the underdog, had an understanding nature, and was adamant that no one be left out.

Those who knew her will remember her generous spirit and listening ear, beautiful laugh, empathetic heart and mischievous smile. She loved the color red, dining out, time with friends and social groups, the Seattle arts (ballet, opera, and symphony), beauty in all forms, her Lladro figurines, giving gifts, gardening, high tea at the Queen Mary, walking around Greenlake, Jazzercise, Barbra Streisand, Christmas and the Nutcracker ballet, Handel’s Messiah, Seattle in the springtime, talking with her granddaughters about their love lives, medical seminars, and above all spending time with her family. In her own words she said “my perfect day would be spending time with my children and grandchildren”.