Kathy Sabrina Harkey was received into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father on April 21, 2014 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. Kathy was born on August 1, 1956 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma to Nick and Iris Jerlene Portacci.
Kathy is preceded in death by her father Nick Portacci, aunt Carolyn Attaway; cousins Gary Bowden and Kim Attaway. She is survived by her mother Iris Jerlene Portacci; husband of 25 years, Donald Harkey; their children Shawn Harkey and wife Megan Harkey, Sadie Price and husband William Price, and Katherine Harkey; siblings Mark Portacci, Susie Hebert, Michael Portacci, Matt Portacci, and Kristy Pinkston; grandchildren Emma Harkey and Iris Price, aunt Jeannine Bowden, uncle Paul Attaway; cousins Kenneth Bowden, Neil Bowden, Delite Bowden; Drew Attaway, Susan Attaway Jansen, Denise Attaway Martin; and Stephenie Mattes. She has 15 nephews and nieces including Kristopher Portacci, Katie Portacci Quatrano, Samuel Portacci, Marin Portacci, Troy Williamson; David Sonnier, Rachel Sonnier; Vincent Portacci, Adam Portacci, Toni Portacci; Cassie Tijerina, Nick Portacci; Alana Brown, Millie Brown, and Lexi Pinkston; and a host of additional relatives and close friends.
Kathy grew up in Galveston and later moved to Port Arthur, Texas. After graduating co-valedictorian in 1974 from Stephen F. Austin High School she attended Lamar University and graduated with a degree in biology with honors in 1979. She worked for Texaco until the early 1990s when she co-founded ICU Environmental Health and Safety in 1993, a company of over 60 employees. She loved mentoring young professionals and launched many on highly successful careers. The company was sold to Total Safety in 2010 where she assisted BP with their employee and contract safety during the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Countless lives were undoubtedly saved by her tireless efforts to improve health and safety conditions in facilities throughout the gulf coast.
Kathy enjoyed reading, writing, cooking and travel but most of all she cherished gatherings and activities with her family, friends and neighbors. During her 2 1/2 year struggle with cancer she wrote a book detailing much of her early life growing up in Port Arthur along with a number of other poems and letters. She was a master storyteller. She could repeat the same stories over and over with such a captivating style it would keep her children and grandchildren in rapt attention for hours.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday April 26, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the Forest Park funeral home in The Woodlands, Texas. In lieu of flowers the family suggest contributions in her name to MD Anderson at The Woodlands. Donations can be made to: https://facebook.com/welovekathyharkey?v=app_117708921611213 .
Kathy would like to specifically thank Dr. Angela Coscio and the nursing staff at MD Anderson in The Woodlands for their tireless efforts in assisting Kathy during her struggle.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” 2 Timothy 4:7.
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