Kathleen Ellen Kane

Kathleen passed away on April 3rd surrounded by her family in Olalla, Washington after a fierce battle with cancer. She was born in Visalia to Charles and Eileen Smith, graduated from George McCann and Redwood High schools and went on to serve in the US Air Force. She retired from Kaweah Delta Hospital in late 2014. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Bill Kane. She is survived by her sons Richard (Brooke), Raymond (Angela), and Robert (Saori) Thompson; grandchildren Jacob, Kelsey, Mia, Ian and Caiden; siblings Mike Smith, Pat Smith, and Colleen Heller.

Kathleen was a dedicated health professional. While putting herself through nursing school she worked as a CNA and then as an LVN at Kaweah Delta for almost 19 years. She was compassionate, loving, and caring. She loved animals, NCIS, hummus, tattoos, blue jeans, and her friends and family. She was often playful and mischievous and enjoyed a good laugh. She had a special love for Cayucos, which she called her “happy place”. She was content to sit by the ocean, walk the shore, and pick up sand dollars. She enjoyed sipping wine on the beach, reading, and napping in the sun.

Kathleen’s family would like to thank Franciscan Hospice for their respectful and dignified care as well as her medical teams in Visalia and Stanford. No services were held. To honor Kathleen, please say a prayer, do a kind deed, or forgive someone and then fill that spot with love.