Kathleen Ellen Gasu

Kathleen Ellen Thomas Gasū, age 78, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Monday January 25, 2021 in Kearns, Utah. She has now been reunited with her loving husband, Tiafau Mata'ese Gasū, her daughter Margaret Gasū and her parents, Wayne Derral and Margaret Brusnahan Thomas, who have all preceded her in death.

Kathleen was born in American Fork, Utah to her loving parents, Wayne and Margaret on June 25, 1942. She joined her older brother, Pat. Her younger siblings David, Wayne, Sean and Sharon would join the family after her. Later on, her family moved to the small town of Peoa, Utah where she was raised and spent her youth there. She graduated with the class of 1960 from South Summit High school in Kamas, Utah and shortly afterward moved to the "big city" of Salt Lake.

Kathleen was very good with math and accounting. During her young adult years she worked as a Skilled Comptometer Operator for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints accounting department, which was very rewarding to her.

Kathleen loved to dance and she and her roommates would attend a weekly Thursday night young adult dance at the Terrace Ballroom in Salt Lake City. It was there that she met her future husband, a handsome returned missionary from Samoa named, Mata'ese Gasū, who had asked her to dance several weeks in a row and soon they began dating, fell in love and got engaged.

On her 23rd birthday, June 25, 1964, Kathleen and Mata'ese were married and sealed for eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple with Marion G. Romney performing their wedding ceremony. From their union, they had 8 children, 33 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren with an additional great grandchild due later this year.

Work opportunities led them to move to Southern California, where they lived in Orange County for 22 years and raised their 8 children there. While in Orange County, Kathleen worked at Security Pacific Bank in the payroll and accounting department for several years. She loved working there. It was during this time that she was very involved with her company community volunteer group. She would get her children involved as well. Her most favorite volunteer events were helping out at Special Olympics every 2 years and decorating the floats for the iconic New Year's Rose Parade.

After living in Southern California for 22 years, they moved their family back to Utah. There her youngest children attended junior high and high school. During the next 20 years, she and Mata'ese would move several more times back and forth between Utah, Samoa, Missouri and California. After moving many times, they finally retired in Utah.

While in Samoa, she and Mata'ese ran the family history center at the Apia, Samoa Temple complex, which she thoroughly enjoyed doing. She also loved learning about her husband's family and the people, culture, traditions and foods of Samoa. All together she had lived in Samoa for 10 years and she loved her time in the islands.

From 1997-1998, Kathleen and Mata'ese were able to serve a full-time senior couple proselyting mission in Sacramento, California. There they were able to continue to help people with family history and teach people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. She always cherished the time she had being a missionary companion to her sweetheart.

Kathleen was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter, sister, cousin, aunt and friend. She and Mata'ese were married for 52 years before he passed away. After her sweetheart's passing, her children and grandchildren were the sources of much joy in her life and they are what she was most proud of. She has said many times that her posterity was her living legacy. She especially loved to support her grandchildren in their various events and performances and achievements. She loved spending time with them just talking and laughing. The highlight of many of her days, especially during the Covid pandemic, was visits and phone calls from her grandchildren. Kathleen was so very proud of her legacy and posterity. She also loved her k9 best buddy, Blue the grey pitbull. Blue kept her company most days and she felt very protected by her dog.

Whenever she could, she took the opportunity to serve others, whether it was as a Sunday school teacher at church, a volunteer at her children's or grandchildren's schools, helping people fill out applications to get their US citizenship, helping people get their medical or social security benefits or just feeding those in need, she loved to serve others. Kathleen lived her life to the fullest and the life she lived is a testament of her love for the Savior and her love for her family. She will be greatly missed and forever in our hearts.

Kathleen is survived by her children: son Samuel Gasū (Moana) 3 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, daughter Sarah Gasū Pupunu (Josh) 2 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, daughter Margaret Gasū (deceased) 3 grandchildren, son Thomas Gasū (Trudy) 6 grandchildren, daughter Louellen Gasū Tafua (Mosese) 2 grandchildren, son Puletaife'e (Marci) 8 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, daughter, Myhla Gasū Bloomfield (Misi - deceased) 4 grandchildren, son Edward, 5 grandchildren.

Her siblings, Patrick Thomas (Rose Ann), David Thomas (Sue Ann), Wayne Thomas (Melonie) Sean Thomas (Ross) and sister Sharon Thomas, along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Services: Saturday February 6, 2021. Family visitation will be held at the Kearns 9th Ward - 5025 W. 4865 S. Kearns, Utah from 9:30-11:00am.

The funeral service will follow immediately from 11:00am-12:30pm.

Interment Graveside service will take place at Valley View Memorial Park

4335 W. 4100 S. West Valley City, Utah

1:00pm-2:00pm

*Donations may be sent via Venmo to Edward Gasu @Ed-Gasu.

Flowers may be sent to Valley View Memorial Park.

Social distancing guidelines apply, masks required.