Kathy Hall, beloved sister, aunt, friend left us on October 27, from cancer after a terrible year of heroically fighting to save her own life. Born August 27, 1953, to Edward J Hall & Louise V Goins Hall, in Oak Park, IL, she was raised in Indianapolis, mostly by her sister, Vicki, while splashing under the culverts, dreaming under the sumacs, roaming the subdivisions popping up around her. At 14, the family moved to Charlotte NC, then to Orlando FL, where she finished HS, and began working at a bank. There she met her lifetime BBF, Kathy Vance: “Kathy & I met working at a bank at the age of 20. We were BFs ever since. She was the kindest, most caring & loving person I have ever known. She was my sister by love. I am thankful for all our wonderful memories. She will live in my heart forever.” At 19, she married a Vietnam vet suffering from dangerous PTSD, who terrorized her for 20 years. They moved to Aurora CO, where most of the family had settled. Kathy began her higher education there, earning a degree, which she promptly began using to help hundreds of folks pinned to their trauma by abuse, drugs, poverty. At home, post-divorce, sister Pat McEvoy, moved in with her 2 young sons Brian and Michael. Kathy put her whole heart into helping raise them. Brian: “Aunt Kathy was an amazing aunt, an amazing person. She was one of the most important people in my and my kids’ 2 lives. She was kindhearted, compassionate, and so patient; she put her needs behind those of her loved ones and animals. She was easy to talk to about anything; I will miss those conversations. She helped guide me, and was there to listen, if that’s what I needed. My life wouldn’t have been the same without her, both as a child and an adult. She helped and supported me with my kids, whom she loved as grandkids. There are no words for how much I will miss her; life will never be the same without her in it. I love you Aunt Kathy; we all love you so much.” Michael shared: “Aunt Kathy was a light in the lives of all who knew her. Her love for animals was boundless, and her home was always a haven for any creature (person or animal) in need. She was considerate and kind, with a giving spirit that touched everyone around her. Kathy’s selflessness was her hallmark, always putting others before herself. Her warmth and generosity will be deeply missed, but her legacy of love lives on in every life she touched. We love you!” Kathy had dream for her retirement that she was able to realize for the last 9 years of her life—fostering teen girls nearing the end of their time in the system. Her sister, Vicki, had been sent away to have a baby as a teen, and she wanted to help girls enter adulthood with support that is often missing for foster kids, by giving them life skills…banking, managing doctor visits, cooking were goals. Jesenia, an early foster: “Kathy was not only a wonderful woman; she was the best mom I will ever have. She cared about animals and children sometimes more than herself. I love you Kathy, thank you for being so kind and loving. You will always be in my heart.” Her considerable intellect and tact were often on display when managing the managers who had the responsibility for the girls. Her dear friend, Jodi McClure: “Over the last 9 years, I had the amazing opportunity to get to know Kathy, first through working with her as a foster parent, and then as a friend. When Kathy first came to Kids Crossing saying she wanted to be a foster parent to teen girls, we looked at her surprised. Ask anyone in the foster care world, they’ll tell you teen girls are the hardest to work with. Kathy wasn’t afraid, in fact, she welcomed the challenge, diving in headfirst with the goal of helping as many teen girls as possible, and throughout the years did just that. She helped every girl who walked into her home to the fullest. She saw each girl’s potential, never once judging them for the decisions they made or the things that happened to them. Instead, she loved them wholeheartedly, showing them the true meaning of family. It wasn’t only Kathy’s compassion that made her an exemplary foster mom. It was her ability to stand up and advocate for their needs, even if it meant pissing off the system along the way. She had the ability to laugh and joke with the kids, and the ability to show them they mattered. Kathy made such an impact in the foster care world that professionals often requested her for their fosters because of the wonderful work she did. Kathy was a true diamond in rough foster parent. She is loved and will be greatly missed.” In the months and years ahead, Kathy’s absence may become a more manageable size, but right now we are all trying to remember how to breathe. We hope all who loved Kathy, and were touched by her enormous kindness, her warrior heart, will find solace in knowing how much she was loved.