Katherine Giles Stiewig passed away peacefully in Fort Collins, Colo., on Sept. 28, 2016. Kay was born in Hoquiam, Wash., on Jan. 3, 1927, to Hazel and Harold Giles. Kay’s grandfather, William Dawson, was an early Washington State pioneer who settled in Axford Prairie near the Humptulips River in 1883. She graduated from Hoquiam High School and went on to attend the University of Oregon. She is survived by her husband of over 66 years, Nathan, her children, William Giles Stiewig and his fiancée, Mary Hewitt; Ann Stiewig Benham and her husband, David; and Linda Stiewig Tveten and her husband, Bruce. She has three grandchildren, Julie Stiewig, Shelby Tveten and Alex Tveten. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.
While at college she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and studied architecture and arts. It was at the university where she met Nathan Stiewig, whom she married in 1950. After the wedding in Hoquiam, they lived in Roseburg and Burns, Ore., Kalispell and Whitefish, Mont., Salt Lake City, Utah, Arlington, Va., and Boulder and Fort Collins, Colo.
Among the various activities Kay and her family enjoyed together were many road trips to the Washington Coast to stay in the cottage that has been in the family since 1932. As a young child, Kay, her brother, and her family spent summers at the cottage. Kay, Nate and their family followed suit and this tradition has continued to this day with Kay’s children and their families. After Nate’s retirement, Nate and Kay were able to spend many months each summer there. The cottage has been a focal point for many happy memories for the family.
Another happy activity for the family was attending baseball games, including the children’s and grandchildren’s and the Denver Bears/Zephyrs before the Colorado Rockies arrived in 1993. Nate and Kay were signers on the petition to bring major league baseball to Denver, after which many baseball games were attended at both Mile High Stadium and Coors Field, including the first opening day in 1993. Kay also enjoyed listening to piano music played by both granddaughters and her husband.
Kay loved animals, especially birds, rabbits and cats, and had many interests including interior design, antiques, calligraphy, drawing and genealogy. She worked for a time at the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History in Boulder, archiving photographs from Boulder’s early days. After her children were grown Kay continued her education by attending classes at Regis University where she studied Archival Preservation and Museology, the University of Colorado in Boulder, and Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She received an award from the library for having volunteered more than 500 hours. She was also a member of Historic Boulder.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, she was an active member of P.E.O. Sisterhood, a women’s philanthropic organization, for over 65 years.
Kay was preceded in death by her mother and father, and her brother, William Richard Giles, who was killed serving his country in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
A funeral service was held on Oct. 6, 2016, in Boulder, Colo.
Donations may be made to the P.E.O Program for Continuing Education at P.E.O. Executive Office, Treasurer’s Department, 3700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312, donations.peointernational.org, your local Alzheimer’s Association Chapter, Alzheimer’s Association National Office, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601, 800-272-3900, www.alz.org, or Historic Boulder, 1200 Pearl St., Ste 70, Boulder, CO 80302, historicboulder.org.
A crypytside service of entombment will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, Nov. 4, 2016, at the Sunset Memorial Park Garden Mausoleum in Hoquiam, Wash.
Direction is by the Coleman Mortuary, 422 – 5th Street in Hoquiam, Wash.
Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at www.colemanmortuary.net.
