Kathe Lee Mortensen

Kathe Lee Brown (Mortensen), 75, of Coldspring, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2026.

Kathe was born on March 15, 1950, at Salt Lake General Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, to the late Harold Mortensen and Jeannine Nickell. Throughout her life, she lived in Utah, California, Arizona, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, building friendships and memories wherever she went.

Kathe was a hardworking and independent woman throughout her life. She began her career as a nurse's assistant in a nursing home and later dedicated many years to the Shonac Corporation Footwear Distribution Center, now known as DSW. After retiring, she continued working part time as a bartender at a local establishment, where her quick wit and straightforward personality made her a favorite among customers and friends. She also pursued entrepreneurial ventures at various points in her life, always willing to take on something new.

Kathe will be remembered for her sharp wit, sassy spirit, and no-nonsense approach to life. She enjoyed watching crime dramas such as NCIS, CSI, and Law & Order: SVU, reading novels, crocheting, and spending time in the kitchen with her grandchildren, passing down family recipes she knew by heart. Her favorite color was dark purple, chosen in honor of her younger grandson. She collected elephants with their trunks raised for good luck and enjoyed simple pleasures such as KFC chicken, black licorice, Rolos, Pepsi, and Dairy Queen ice cream cake.

In addition to her parents, Kathe was preceded in death by her sister, Christine Nanstiel (Mortensen); her brother, Cody Mortensen; her maternal aunt, Patricia Nickell; her maternal grandparents, Milton Grant Nickell and Orissa Stillson; her former husband, Harold Willard; and her late husband, Mark Brown.

She is survived by her daughter, Kimberly Dewitt (Willard); her grandchildren, Brian Dewitt, Kriston Kapan (Zachary Lotspeich), Jesse Cole Seevers, and Christopher Humphries; along with many extended family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

Kathe's legacy endures through the love she shared, the strength she demonstrated, and the lasting impact she had on the lives of those who knew her.