June 15, 1937 – September 17, 2024

Kathleen Parkinson peacefully passed away on September 17, 2024 after a heroic battle with a very fast spreading cancer. Despite being told in January that she likely only had two months to live, she battled her cancer and was able to attend her god daughter Stephanie’s wedding at the end of June in California. She is survived by her brother Dennis, her sisters Margaret and Stephanie, and many relatives and friends who were fortunate enough to have her in their lives.

Kathleen was born on June 15, 1937 in West Hartlepool, England, a ship building town on the Northeast coast of England. She grew up in wartime England and experienced air raid shelters and bombing raids. After the war, Kathleen’s family moved to Northern Ireland. At the age of 18, Kathleen learned that Bell of Canada was looking for employees to work as Customer Service Representatives in Toronto. Bell of Canada interviewed over 150 applicants, and Kathleen was one of fourteen offered a position.

Kathleen traveled to Canada aboard the Ivernia. It was a six week ocean passage from Liverpool to Montreal. She lived in Toronto for six years, and then transferred to Pacific Bell in Los Angeles. There she met her dear lifelong friend Marlyn Paul whom she lived with in a beautiful condominium overlooking Burbank, California. Kathleen had a very successful career at Pacific Bell and retired in 1991. During these years Kathleen was an intrepid traveler, going all over the globe including Russia, India, Iceland, Australia, throughout Europe, and many, many more countries around the world.

After retirement, Kathleen and Marlyn both moved to Green Valley, Arizona, where they made many friends. When Marlyn passed away, Kathleen moved to Mercer Island, Washington near her aunt and uncle Jonathan and Mollie Parkinson, her cousins Jonathan, Julie, Stephen and Matthew, and their families. Kathleen lived in the same retirement community as Jonathan and Mollie and made many close friends there. She ran a weekly movie night for the whole community that was a big hit—ultimately showing over 400 movies! A memorial service celebrating Kathleen’s life will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Mercer Island at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. All are welcome.