Kathryn Kitchen

Kathryn Laga Kitchen passed away peacefully at her home in Vernal, Utah at age 69 on Saturday, August 16, 2025.

Born on December 31, 1955 to Frank Edward Laga and Elva Darlene (Bunnell) Laga, Kathryn grew up in Pleasant Grove, Utah, with her older brother, Scott, and two younger brothers, Kelly and Barry. She was a Vikette at the Pleasant Grove High School, and graduated therefrom in 1975 before starting BYU in Provo, Utah that fall.

It was at a dance in June 1976 that Kathryn met Boyd McKee Kitchen, and they soon began courting, leading to their marriage in the Salt Lake City Temple on March 11, 1977. After Boyd graduated from BYU in December 1978, the family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where Boyd earned his doctoral degree at the University of Minnesota. Later moves took the Kitchens to Spencer, Iowa; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Grand Island, Nebraska. They finally settled in Vernal, Utah, in 1992.

Kathy was a lifelong dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holding several callings throughout her life and supporting her husband in his as well. She served as a teacher to young and old, especially enjoying the time she spent with the Primary children, Cub Scouts, and Young Women.

Kathryn made friends wherever she went. She traveled frequently with her family, especially as her children grew older, moved away, and started their own families. International trips included one to the Dominican Republic and another to France to visit the mission fields of her oldest and youngest children respectively. She loved to talk to anyone who was within reasonable conversational distance, and could usually find something they had in common. This extended beyond in-person connections, as she was part of several online sewing groups over the years, some of whom she has been able to coordinate meetings with in person over time. Many of her loved ones now feel we are following her example when we reach out to strangers.

Kathy was a woman of many skills. She spent much of her time at her sewing machine or quilting frame, frequently making projects to donate to those who could benefit from the products of her labor. Through the years she helped her family and friends tie hundreds of quilts, many of which were donated to local shelters, the Uintah Care Center, Primary Children's Hospital, refugees in Europe, and the Hopi reservation. She sewed specially adapted clothing for injured veterans, packages for Days for Girls, purses for girls in Africa, and burial clothes for families who lost newborns. She crocheted bandages for lepers, crafted school dresses to be sent overseas, sewed costumes for school plays, and created special occasion dresses for her daughters and granddaughters. She also shared her talents liberally, teaching others to bake bread, spike a volleyball, and sew their own projects through the years. While her activity waned during the last few years of her life, her spirit rarely flagged, and she was as confident and unconventional in her ways at the end as ever.

Kathy's last days were made more comfortable by healthcare workers such as Dr. Heloisa Soares at Huntsman Cancer Institute, Amy Olsen, and especially the staff at the Ashley Regional Medical Center infusion center. The family thanks all those who cared for her.

Kathryn is preceded in death by her parents, brother Kelly, and son-in-law Michael Barrus. In addition to her husband, Kathryn is survived by her seven children, Nathan (Lauren) Kitchen, Michelle Barrus, Elisa (Devin) Caldwell, David (Jaclyn) Kitchen, Spencer (Brenna) Kitchen, Kelli (Mark) O'Dair, and Rachel (Zinnia) Kitchen, and twenty-three grandchildren, brothers Scott (Jani), sister-in-law Debbie, and brother Barry (Caprice), as well as many, many in-laws, nephews, and nieces, cousins, and friends.

For those seeking to recognize Kathy, she had a green thumb and loved flowers (except roses!). Alternatively, she would be honored by any who would like to donate to the LDS Humanitarian Aid Fund or the Hope Lodge in Salt Lake City, help those in their own community, give blood, learn something new, teach someone a skill, or do their own thing in any way, even and especially when it is different from others.

Funeral services for Kathy will be held Monday, August 25, 2025 at 11:00am at the Vernal 7th Ward LDS Chapel. Visitation for family and friends will be held Sunday from 6:00pm ~ 8:00pm at the Phillips Ashley Valley Funeral Home and Monday from 9:00am ~ 10:45am at the church. Interment in the Maeser Fairview Cemetery.