Kim Kachmann

1966 - 2025

Kim Kachmann passed away on December 2, 2025, at the age of 59.

Kim was born on November 7, 1966, in Portsmouth, Virginia, to Rudolph and Carolyn Kachmann. She grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, alongside her beloved siblings Jeffrey, Kenneth, and Heidi. She earned a B.A. in English and Political Science from Indiana University and moved to Capitol Hill to work as an Administrative Assistant to Ron Klain under Senator Joe Biden. Along with the rest of the Senator's staff, Kim contributed to the development of the Violence Against Women Act of 1990, landmark legislation that transformed the nation's response to domestic violence and sexual assault.

After her time on Capitol Hill, Kim moved to New York City, where she completed an M.A. in American Studies at Columbia University. She later returned to public service as a Legislative Aide in the U.S. House of Representatives under Congressman Robert Carr. At the time of her passing, she was an M.F.A. candidate in Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Kim built a wide-ranging career centered on writing, public service, and storytelling. She later served as Director of International Content and Programming at AOL, where she helped develop content strategy and best practices for international programming.

A writer at heart, Kim was an editor, journalist, and author. She published multiple books, including Welcome to Your Mind Body (2007), The Secret of the Non Diet (2009), and Narcotics: The Highway to Hell (2013). Her writing appeared in Hilton Head Monthly, and she contributed to The New York Times, PBS, and other outlets. As Program Director of the Hilton Head Institute, she developed conference themes and programming. She spoke fluent Spanish and briefly taught Spanish at Hilton Head Preparatory School, where she was a favorite among her students. She was also a lifelong artist. In high school, she drew cartoons for the school paper and continued drawing throughout her life.

In her later years, Kim worked as a writing consultant and worked with Hilton Head Heart. While living with heart disease, she became a strong advocate for women's health care.

Kim loved music and had wide-ranging tastes. She was a devoted reader, a lifelong learner, and deeply curious about medicine and health. She loved nature and found peace outdoors, especially on long walks through Sea Pines and across Hilton Head Island. She lived with mental illness for many years and faced those challenges with courage, intellect, and persistence.

Kim was preceded in death by her brother, Kenneth Kachmann, and her mother, Carolyn Coulson Kachmann. She is survived by her father and step-mother, Rudolph and Rhonda Kachmann; her brother, Jeffrey Kachmann, and his children, Jacqueline, Sarah, and Dylan Kachmann; her sister and brother-in-law, Heidi and Will Anderson, and their children, Zachary, Isabel, and Alex Anderson; her former husband, Scott Geltz, and their children, Jessica, Samantha, and Coulson Geltz; and her two beloved cats, Kashmir and Yoshi.

A memorial service will be held at Six Oaks Cemetery in Hilton Head, South Carolina. For details, or to share memories and condolences, please contact her daughter, Jessica Geltz, at jessica.c.geltz@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Lowcountry at NAMI@namilowcountry.org or by calling (843) 636-3100.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please know that you are not alone and help is available. Call or text 988 to reach South Carolina's Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.