Kathleen VanRy Ellison

As a child her family moved to Kansas City, MO where she graduated from Oak Park high school.

Kathe studied theater at Brigham Young University. She married James Ellison in the Logan Utah Temple in August 1968. They raised their four children in Fort Collins, CO. Kathe was a lifelong lover of the arts and served as a company member and board member of many local theater companies in Fort Collins.

When their children were grown, Kathe and James moved to Lexington, KY where Kathe worked as a special education paraprofessional. Kathe returned to Colorado in 2016 where she lived a rich life. She traveled throughout Europe and across the United States and was planning a cruise to Asia before her passing.Kathe instilled a love of laughter in her children and family. Her laugh was infectious. And even in the hardest times she and her family found solace in the beauty of laughter. Kathe was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and spent her lifetime volunteering for her church, serving in many callings and working in the LDS temple. She also loved going to movies, all things Disney, spending time with her beloved friends, and playing as much pickleball as possible. Kathe was a devoted mother and her children loved her whole-heartedly, and the thing that brought her the most joy was being a Nana. She adored her grandchildren; they were the true loves of her life.

Kathe was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

She is survived by her children, John (Jennifer), Cameron, Jamie, and Courtney; her grandchildren Sam, Chloe, Aidan, Genesis, Joey, James, and Jenna; and her siblings Bill, Susie, Jay, Jan, and Julie.

The funeral service will be held September 13 at 1:00 PM MST with a Celebration of Life immediately following. LDS chapel 1320 W. Harmony Rd. Fort Collins, CO 80526.

We will be providing a zoom link as soon as it is available.