Kathleen Mary Beehler

Kathleen was born to Glenn W. Rice and Jean E. (Stewart) Rice on May 18, 1953 in Yakima, WA. She grew up in Selah, graduated from Selah High School in 1971. She graduated from Yakima Business College and Yakima Valley Community College. She completed her formal education in 1993, graduating from Central Washington University Summa cum Laude with a Master's Degree in Art History.

The love of Kathleen's life for 44 years was Randy C. Beehler, whom she married on April 6, 1974. Their first and last dates were both spent at the King's Row Drive In, Selah. They shared a deep devotion to each other and their pets over the years, taking them along when work required out of town travel. Piper and Elke miss her.

Kathleen worked for Yakima Federal Savings and Loan, was the bookkeeper for the Teamsters Union for ten years, was office manager for a large advertising firm in Issaquah - yes, she commuted over the pass! and demonstrated incredible grant-writing skills benefittng the Historical Thorp Mill, where whe wrote a newsletter in addition to managing the visitor center. Her most recent work was with the Yakima Valley Library which she particularly enjoyed. The Selah Branch owns a collection of books donated by Kathleen and is displayed in her honor.

Kathleen was a quiet woman, possessing an innate wisdom recognized by few but highly prized by those who know her. Intellectually gifted, she loved books. Her depth and breadth of knowledge was especially helpful to library patrons and researchers. She was a life-long learner, was a member of Mensa USA, spoke four languages, and taught German at CWU during her graduate work. She particulary enjoyed discussions about history, philosophy, and anthropology with others holding similar knowledge and interests.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn W. Rice and Jean E. Rice and an infant son, Bryan T. Beehler. She is survived by her loving husband, Randy C. Beehler; brother, Glenn K Rice and wife Audrey; niece, Renne D. Berger and husband, Tracy, great-niece, Courtney Berger and step-niece, Sherri Peterson and husband, Brad. She is also survived by her cousin, Dorothy Hill and her children, Stewart, Laurie and Julie and their families, and a host of good friends.

A Memorial Service will be held at Keith and Keith Funeral Home on West Yakima Avenue at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8, 2013. Interment will follow at Tahoma Cemetery.

The family is very grateful to Kathleen's library friends and co-workers who so generously donated vacation and leave time during her illness. They thank her kind and faithful round-the-clock caregivers, and Memorial Hospice for their skilled and caring comfort and guidance.