The HEART of her family, a FRIEND to many, a SMILE to light up the world.
Kathleen Susan Edwards, age 52, departed this earth on April 10, 2017 at home in Ventura, California following a seven and a half year fight against stage four breast cancer, surrounded by loving family and friends.
Kathleen was preceded in death by her mother, Diane Edwards and her grandmother, Helen “Nannie” Duncan. Kathleen is survived by her son, Steven Frazier of Los Angeles; daughter, Courtney Terrazas of Ventura; father and step-mother, Leo and Mary Edwards of Ventura; siblings, Linda Edwards of Ventura, William (Suzie) Edwards of Fillmore, and Barbara Edwards of Flagstaff, Arizona; as well as by Courtney’s father Anthony Terrazas; and many many friends.
Kathleen was born July 7, 1964 in Santa Paula, California to Leo and Diane (Goodwin) Edwards. Kathleen grew up in Fillmore, California and graduated from Fillmore High School in 1982. She maintained many close friendships from her school years for her entire life.
She was an excellent athlete during her youth, holding the homerun record in the initial season of the first youth softball league for girls in Fillmore. Coached by her father Leo; Kathleen, her sister Barbara, and her team the Barnett Bombers won the title of the Cassidy Girls Softball League in its inaugural season.
In high school, Kathleen played softball, basketball and tennis. She also loved roller skating all around town with her friends. Kathleen’s mother Diane passed away when Kathleen was 14, and so the end of high school was a difficult time in Kathleen’s life. And so, some of her other high school activities we won’t mention here!
After her son Steven was born she went back to school at Ventura College. At VC she earned her Associates degree and also completed two years of nursing school. Kathleen also carried on the Edwards family tradition of playing sports for Ventura College like her parents and all her siblings, playing on both the softball team and the tennis team there.
One of the proudest moments in Kathleen’s life was when she passed the exam to earn her Registered Nursing license in 1993, after putting herself through four years of school by working as a waitress.
Kathleen worked at Santa Paula Memoria Hospital from 1995 until it closed in 2003. She learned a wide range of nursing skills in the small hospital and she gave her patients care straight from her heart. Kathleen had always heard from her mother, who was hospitalized often with complications from lupus, how much of a difference her wonderful nurses had made to her when she was in their care.
After Santa Paula Hospital closed Kathleen went to work at Community Memorial Hospital in 2004, first in same-day surgery and later in the main operating room and made many new friends there.
Kathleen developed a love for esthetic nursing and became a small business owner, with business partner Dr. Constanze Rayhrer, in 2003 when they founded The Laser Studio in Ventura. Kathleen loved to help her clients there look their best.
But the center of Kathleen’s life was her children Steven and Courtney. Her favorite activity in her last years was to root for Courtney at her softball games, or travel to softball tournaments including the NSA Girls Fast Pitch Western World Series won by Courtney’s team the Ventura Stealers in Seattle, Washington.
Kathleen also loved to travel for non-softball reasons and had wonderful memories of an Amtrak trip to Chicago and Minnesota with Courtney and sisters Linda and Barbara, among other trips.
As Kathleen’s cancer grew worse in the last couple of years, she was sad that she was no longer able to work, but used her time when she was feeling well in maintaining her friendships both in person and with distant friends electronically. Kathleen’s friends were such incredible support to her as she struggled through numerous rounds of chemotherapy and brain radiation.
During Kathleen’s last stay in the hospital, she had so many former co-workers visit her. Special thanks to Kathleen’s extraordinary friends, who took turns being at her side all through hospice care, to make sure her instructions were followed. Kathleen’s family also thanks Dr. Lynn Kong and her team who treated Kathleen for so long.
A celebration of Kathleen’s life will be held Saturday, April 29, 2017, 11:00 am at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, CA 93003.
For anyone wanting to remember Kathleen with a charitable donation, please give to the charity of your choice or to The Andrea Grace Foundation, 1746-F So Victoria Ave #245, Ventura CA 93003, in memory of Kathleen Edwards.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to TedMayrFuneralHome.com.
Ted Mayr Funeral Home 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, CA 93003. Telephone (805) 643-9977 Facsimile (805) 653-5731