Katherine Wade (Owens)

Katherine “Kathy” Wade (Owens)  was born in Colorado Springs on April 13, 1940, to Alfred E. Owens and Margaret (Peg) Belle Owens. She attended Cheyenne Mt. High School and Whitman College in Walla Walla Washington. 

The oldest of four sisters, Kathy grew up riding equestrian competitively and spent high school summers wrangling cattle in southern Colorado and exercising polo ponies at the Broadmoor Hotel. She served as Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo royalty as aide to the Girl of the West in 1958. After college and beginning a family, Kathy had a successful career in real estate and especially enjoyed helping young families find good homes they could afford. She made many friends in the business and was proud of her work. Following retirement, she spent time keeping up with her kids and their families, volunteering at the Episcopal Thrift Shop, as an active member of Chapel of Our Savior and St. Andrews Episcopal Churches, following sports and politics, and serving in any way she could to protect her beloved Cheyenne Canyon. 

Kathy was quick witted, perennially interested in others’ lives, giving of herself and her time to family, friends, and her community. She was full of knowledge about so many things-people, dogs, horses, the natural world, and more. She wasn’t self-centered but always the center–keeping close tabs on and sharing with so many that were important to her while quietly modeling what it meant to live a life of service.

Throughout her life, Kathy endured serious injury, illness, and great personal loss with an amazing grit and grace and felt that complaining was a waste of time, opting instead for the hard work of recovery and getting back at it as soon as possible. She lived as many “great Colorado days” as she could.

Her three children remain in awe of her strength and authenticity, are grateful for her big heart and her example of what it means to be a good human being. 

Kathy was a force of nature, and she will be truly missed and fondly remembered by her surviving sisters Linda Bartlett and Barbara Fullerton and their families, sister Sandy Moore’s daughters, her children and their partners; Brad Barker (Sheila Ash), Pamela Barker (David Theobald), and Robyn Barker (Steve Moll), grandchildren (Leah, Tyler, Brooke, Charlie, Ashley, and Sawyer), great grandchildren (Emalyn, Easton, Parker, and Donavan), many, many friends, young and old, and, of course, her steady side-kick pup, Posey. Kathy was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Sandy Moore. 

Services will be held at 2:30 pm  on September 28th, at Chapel of Our Saviour Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs. Donations in Kathy’s memory can be made at Starsmore Nature Center/Friends of Cheyenne Canyon www.cheyennecanon.org/take-action . 

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