Kathleen Ann Olberts
1953 - 2025
Kathleen Ann Olberts, known as Kathy, passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, October 5, 2025. After a long illness, she is finally free from suffering. Her beloved caregiver and friend, Mark, was at her side and the many people who love and cherish her were there in spirit.
Kathy leaves a deep and wide legacy of love and caring. Her family and friends meant the world to her, and she showered them with attention, brightening their lives with her warm, brilliant smile and big, beautiful laugh. Kathy always remembered what was most important to each person in her life, along with every birthday.
Music was Kathy's passion - an expression and experience of pure joy and creativity. She was involved with many musical groups and communities over the years - singing and playing a variety of instruments. She was a Merry Ukulady, sang her heart out at Women Making Music camps every year, and was a member of numerous choruses and song circles. Lifelong friendships grew from music making, and it was 28 years ago that music introduced Kathy to her future wife.
When Kathy lost the ability to speak due to her illness, she embraced expressing herself through art. She did this with the loving assistance of her art teachers, first Robin and then Lisa.
Along with music and art, Kathy was committed to personal growth - hers and others. After a long and successful career in the corporate world, Kathy felt the calling to express this commitment professionally. She became a career and life coach in her mid-50s and grew a flourishing practice with a large number of devoted clients. She also lived this commitment as a person with 36 years in recovery, supporting others also walking the path of healing.
Kathy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and she moved with her family to Moline, Illinois at age 7. She later graduated from Moline High School in 1971, where she was a tennis and volleyball star. She earned a bachelors and MBA from the University of Illinois in 1975 and 1977, respectively. She was drawn to San Francisco, California and finally moved there, fulfilling a dream, in 1983, which began a love affair with The City by the Bay.
Asked to describe Kathy, family and friends repeatedly share these reflections: enthusiastic, positive, adventurous, warm, thoughtful, kind, incredibly articulate, the smartest person in the room, capable, dependable, extroverted off the charts! She was so generous materially, as well as giving of her heart and time. Her strength, courage and bravery were admired, especially shining through these last years as her mobility and ability to speak degenerated. She did not complain, and she beamed that beautiful smile when anyone visited.
Kathy is survived by her beloved wife, Shauna Joseph; and her cherished family: mother and father Lois and Duane Olberts; brothers Mark (who loved their fishing trips together) and sister-in-law Annie, Gregg and sister-in-law Jeanna, John, Scott and sister-in-law Cristi; and cousins, nieces and nephews too numerous to mention. In lieu of flowers, Shauna asks that donations in memory of Kathy are made to: Women Making Music Inc (https://womamu.org/) or Mosaic West Sac (https://www.mosaicwestsac.org/).
Kathy leaves a deep and wide legacy of love and caring. Her family and friends meant the world to her, and she showered them with attention, brightening their lives with her warm, brilliant smile and big, beautiful laugh. Kathy always remembered what was most important to each person in her life, along with every birthday.
Music was Kathy's passion - an expression and experience of pure joy and creativity. She was involved with many musical groups and communities over the years - singing and playing a variety of instruments. She was a Merry Ukulady, sang her heart out at Women Making Music camps every year, and was a member of numerous choruses and song circles. Lifelong friendships grew from music making, and it was 28 years ago that music introduced Kathy to her future wife.
When Kathy lost the ability to speak due to her illness, she embraced expressing herself through art. She did this with the loving assistance of her art teachers, first Robin and then Lisa.
Along with music and art, Kathy was committed to personal growth - hers and others. After a long and successful career in the corporate world, Kathy felt the calling to express this commitment professionally. She became a career and life coach in her mid-50s and grew a flourishing practice with a large number of devoted clients. She also lived this commitment as a person with 36 years in recovery, supporting others also walking the path of healing.
Kathy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and she moved with her family to Moline, Illinois at age 7. She later graduated from Moline High School in 1971, where she was a tennis and volleyball star. She earned a bachelors and MBA from the University of Illinois in 1975 and 1977, respectively. She was drawn to San Francisco, California and finally moved there, fulfilling a dream, in 1983, which began a love affair with The City by the Bay.
Asked to describe Kathy, family and friends repeatedly share these reflections: enthusiastic, positive, adventurous, warm, thoughtful, kind, incredibly articulate, the smartest person in the room, capable, dependable, extroverted off the charts! She was so generous materially, as well as giving of her heart and time. Her strength, courage and bravery were admired, especially shining through these last years as her mobility and ability to speak degenerated. She did not complain, and she beamed that beautiful smile when anyone visited.
Kathy is survived by her beloved wife, Shauna Joseph; and her cherished family: mother and father Lois and Duane Olberts; brothers Mark (who loved their fishing trips together) and sister-in-law Annie, Gregg and sister-in-law Jeanna, John, Scott and sister-in-law Cristi; and cousins, nieces and nephews too numerous to mention. In lieu of flowers, Shauna asks that donations in memory of Kathy are made to: Women Making Music Inc (https://womamu.org/) or Mosaic West Sac (https://www.mosaicwestsac.org/).
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