Kathleen E. LaVeau

1947 - 2007

Kathleen Elizabeth LaVeau, 60, died in Fountain Hills, Ariz., on July 1, 2007, after a brief illness.
Kathleen was born on Jan. 14, 1947, one of seven children of the late Robert G. Johnson, an electrical engineer, and Kathleen B. Johnson, a dedicated volunteer and mother.
She attended Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, Mo., and graduated in 1964 from Independence High School, in Kansas City, where she trained for the 1964 U.S. Olympic swimming team, placing fourth at Nationals that year in the 200-meter breaststroke. An outstanding athlete, Kathleen excelled at tennis, cycling, softball and swimming. She attended the College of Great Falls, graduating in 1968 with a bachelor of science degree in biology with membership in the National Scholastic Honor Society, Delta Epsilon Sigma.
After teaching in the elementary schools in Great Falls, Kathleen retired due to a medical disability and eventually moved to Ennis, where she lived with her late husband, Philip LaVeau for more than 25 years. Kathleen was an active volunteer and loved building community as a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church of Jeffers and Ennis.
She traveled extensively with friends and family members to six of the seven continents, enjoying sightseeing and the theater. She was an avid genealogist, tracing relations on both sides of the family back to the American Revolutionary war. In short, Kathleen loved life.
More recently, Kathleen and Philip divided their time between Ennis and Fountain Hills, Ariz. In Fountain Hills, Kathleen was a member of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (vice regent of the Four Peaks Chapter), Friends in the Hills Welcome Club, and attended Saint Anthony on the Desert Episcopal Church.
Kathleen was dedicated to serving others and in particular, organized fundraisers for "Packages from Home" for the troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea, and also supported Girls, Inc. of Delaware, an organization inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations in Kathleen's name be made to either of these organizations: "Packages From Home" Attn: Donations, 7026 West Aurora Drive, Glendale, AZ 85308; or Girls, Inc. of Delaware, 1019 Brown St., Wilmington, DE 19701.
Kathleen is survived by four sisters, Jo Ann Henningsen, Jennifer Looney, Kristina Johnson and Sara Cohen; two brothers, Robert and Charles Johnson; four nieces, Marjorie and Mary Henningsen, and Rivka and Hannah Cohen; and four nephews, Michael, Patrick and Timothy Henningsen and Egon Cohen.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 16, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Jeffers.