Kate (Cunningham) Walsh was born April 21, 1936 to G. Irvine and Kathryn (Compton) Hunter. She lost her long battle with dementia on Oct. 23, 2014.

During her first marriage to Roger Cunningham, she had three children; Roy, Anna, and Sheila. Anna was lost to cancer in 1967, and in 1969 they adopted Carl. Along the way they lived in Seattle; Clemson, South Carolina; Linkoping, Sweden; and Buffalo, New York. After her divorce Kate moved back to Bainbridge Island: “The only place I ever really wanted to live.”

She had earned a degree in chemistry from the University of Washington and worked as a lab technician for many years. When she left that career, she worked at many different places, including the Bainbridge Island Senior Center. While she was there, she helped get the Access buses onto the island, which eventually led to Kitsap Transit’s regular routes.

In 2001, she married Jack Walsh, whom she had met in the Bainbridge Chorale.

Kate will be remembered for her humor, humanity, warmth and love. She was an amazing mom.

She’s survived by Roy (Jen Russo), Carl (Kim Brockway) and Sheila; step sons Skip (Sandi) and Mike (Muriel) Walsh; 18 grandkids; 5 1/2 great-grandkids; and her amazing caregivers, Cheryl Denton and Kayt Stone.

Kate was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Anna, husband Jack, stepson and daughter-in-law Doug and Donna, and ex-husband Roger.

A memorial service was Sunday, Dec. 7 at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church.

Memorial donations can be made to Hospice of Kitsap County, PO Box 3416, Silverdale, WA 98383, or Alzheimer’s Association, Western and Central Washington State Chapter, ATTN: Development Dept., Alzheimer’s Association, North Tower, 100 West Harrison St. N200, Seattle, WA 98119.