A funeral Mass is planned tomorrow in West Seattle to celebrate the life of Kathie Delaney Nielsen, 58. Here’s the remembrance her family is sharing with the community:

Kathie was born in Spokane on February 12, 1959, the youngest of four daughters of Thomas P. and Dorothy Delaney. The family moved to West Seattle when Kathie was 8, and she graduated from Holy Rosary Elementary and Holy Names High School. Kathie worked at the Seattle Times, first as a messenger, then in the circulation department as a receptionist and a district advisor, where she made lifelong friends, and where she met her future husband John Nielsen.

Kathie loved singing and playing her guitar. Family parties centered around her playing and singing John Denver songs for all her sisters, brothers-in-law, Mom, Dad, nieces, cousins, and friends. She had an incredible sense of humor and she and her favorite cousin Mark would entertain us for hours with their crazy skits, and later with her husband, John, keep us laughing with their clever banter.

She was outgoing, loving, welcoming to everyone she met, and cared deeply about helping people. Kathie adored her husband John, and her son Lucas was the light of her life. Lucas’s daughter Kendall brought such joy to them all and was the centerpiece of their life from the moment she entered it.

She is survived by her husband of 33 years, John, son Lucas & granddaughter Kendall, her three sisters, Patty (Chuck) Lutz, Chris Hanley, and Sue (John) Stine, Jim Hanley, her nieces Jennifer Vike Hanson, Charlotta Jackson, Jeannine Manuel, Jamie Hanley, Maureen Lutz, Jessica Greene, Erin Lutz, Delana Newell and nephew Kenny Nielsen, and her Zappone cousins. A funeral mass will be held in celebration of her life on Thursday, May 4th, at 11 AM at Holy Rosary in West Seattle. Donations may be made in Kathie’s name to the charity of your choice.

Kathie left us far too soon and we will all miss her until we are with her again.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)