Kathleen Echtenkamp

Kathleen Echtenkamp, 61, of Dallas passed away on Friday, October 28, 2016 at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Kassie will always be remembered as a devoted mother and loving friend to all who knew and loved her.

She was born in Alameda, California on November 4, 1954 to Stanley and Joan Vickers Davis. She graduated from high school in Fresno in 1972 and attained her Associates degree at Fresno State. She married Gordon Echtenkamp October 29, 1977 in Kansas City and lived there seven years.

Following moves to Memphis and then to Houston she found her avocation and vocation working with children. While living in Houston she attained her Child Development Credential and this training and her love of kids provided a fulfilling career for thirty years in schools in Houston, Phoenix, Des Moines and Dallas as the family moved over the years. The last fourteen years she has been a trusted member of the staff at Parish Episcopal School serving as a teacher for hundreds of kids and mentor and friend to all those around her.

Throughout her life, her goal was to serve others. She never missed a swim meet, a football game, a marching band competition or a track meet. And usually she was in the front row or on the field helping. She led the altar guild, sang in the choir, coordinated the ginger bread house competitions, hosted the backyard parties and loved her friends and family unconditionally.

In her childhood, she followed in the footsteps of her mother Joan, as she was a classical ballet dancer and performed with the Westport Ballet in Kansas City and made life-long friends. While her years of performing stopped years ago, she continued to be active and made many friends in YMCA yoga and Zumba classes over the years and was blessed to attend many of those classes with her new daughters-in-law. They are a blessing to each of her sons who she loves deeply.

Survivors include her husband of thirty-nine years Gordie Echtenkamp of Dallas, son Nate Echtenkamp and his wife Courtney, son Nick Echtenkamp and his wife Anne all living in the Dallas area; her mother Joan Vickers of Alameda, California, sister Carrie Border and her husband Larry of Salem, Missouri and brother Michael and his wife Jara of San Rafael; her mother and father in-law Earl and Elayne Echtenkamp of Fremont Nebraska.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 pm on Friday, November 4, 2016 at Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, 14115 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75254 with a reception to follow offered by the Church and the School. In lieu of flowers Memorials may be made to the Dallas YMCA at www.donatetotheY.org to support either of two things she loved: Keeping people happy at the YMCA or support and training of Service Dogs that support kids and adults in crisis. Look in the dropdown menu for Kassie Echtenkamp Memorial. Checks can be mailed to YMCA Development, 601 north Akard Dallas 75201. Online condolences can be made at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest .com.