Our hearts grieve the passing of our Kathy, our mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. Kathy went out on her terms in Vancouver,  BC surrounded by love following a short illness.

Kathy was born in St. Stephen, NB and soon the family moved to Sault Ste Marie,  Ontario. At the tender age of 24 she moved to Faro, Yukon and so began her 50 year love affair with the Yukon, living in Carmacks and Dawson City before settling in Whitehorse.

When Kathy moved to Whitehorse in the early 1970s, she took on a variety of jobs to support her family - everything from selling hunting rifles at Igloo Sporting Goods to greeting late night arrivals at the Greyhound Bus station. Many a time, she came home with exhausted travellers who had no other place to stay.

Her work with the Yukon Government's Finance Department led to her involvement with the Yukon Employees' Union. She championed Yukon government workers as a member of the YEU executive, then later worked with the union as a service officer for over 20 years. Kathy was also one of the long-time mainstays of the Yukon NDP. She served three terms as part president, and managed Yukon and federal election campaigns for various candidates. When the NDP gained office in 1996, Kathy became the executive assistant to Lois Moorcroft, Minister of the departments of Education and Justice. She also volunteered on various boards, including serving as the labour representative of the Employment Standards Board. 

Kathy is survived by her 3  sons, John McClarty (Leila), Michael Sprague, and Jessen Cardiff (Jaclyn), 6 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren;  her sisters Glady, Patti (Calvin) and Peggy (Jack) and her brother Gord; predeceased by her brothers Bill and Garnet; many cousins, nieces and nephews and her friends aplenty whom she loved with a passion.

We will be celebrating Kathy on July 3 from 4-8 PM at the Old Fire Hall. Bring a story or two and something to share for the potluck. There will be a no-host bar and music. Kathy always said, "The party begins with the music."