Kathrine M. Taylor Hamburg: 1940-2020

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Kathrine M. Taylor Hamburg most recently of Post Falls, ID passed away peacefully in hospice care on September 3, 2020. She was born December 14, 1940 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis, OR to Raymond “Woody” Taylor and Margaret Hendrix Taylor Rodgers. The family resided in Lobster Valley, OR where her father, Woody, owned and operated a sawmill and Hazel Glenn Logging Co. until 1955 when they moved to Corvallis. Her father, mother and eldest sister, Norita Garcia, preceded Kathy in death. Annie Taylor Rugh (John), Richard Taylor (Linda Brown), Deborah Taylor Limbaugh, stepsister (Tony), and Reneé Rodgers-Dudder (daughter of Margaret and Gerald Rodgers) survive her. Kathy attended Roosevelt Grade School and CHS before joining sister Norita in Portland, OR to attend cosmetology school but later returned to Corvallis where she married William K. Freeman (CHS, 1956). Born to Kathy and Bill were Raymond (Debbie), Lucinda “Cindy” and Douglas. Later Kathy married Thomas Hamburg; their children are Kelly S. Anderson and Thomas Casey Hamburg (Yvonne). Kathy had 15 grandchildren, three who preceded her death and 14 great grandchildren.

Tom and Kathy moved from Corvallis to the Sacramento, CA area in 1974. Kathy and the children moved to Battle Ground, WA in 1977 where the children graduated from high school in the Evergreen School District. Kathy was a teacher’s assistant for Special Ed students at Evergreen School District #114 in Vancouver for many years. She later worked for a firm managing group homes for disabled and handicapped adult residents. After the children were grown, she worked two jobs. She enjoyed the clients at the convenience stores where employed part-time. While living with her mother in Battle Ground, WA, she and Margaret were in a car accident that left Margaret with immediate onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms and unable to care for herself. Caregivers were hired for Margaret’s care for 2+ years while Kathy continued working at the group home. Upon Margaret’s death May 2007, Kathy remained at Battle Ground Mobile Estates until she retired in 2018 to move to Post Falls, ID to be near three of her five children, Raymond, Kelly and Casey, who along with their spouses were always available to assist her. She donated her mobile home to a family needing a home. Due to macular degeneration, she was unable to drive shortly after the move. Kathy was diagnosed with COPD in the late 1970s but managed to work two jobs, care for her mother and live independently despite the illness. Her passion was to be available for and to help family, as well as care for and assist persons with special needs. Before her mother’s disability, she worked two jobs to fulfill this passion.

She was hospitalized two days before being transferred to a hospice center for less than 2 hours before passing on September 3, 2020 with three of her five children at her side.