After the death of her first husband, "Eddie Bill" Gowan, Kathy remarried to Michael Keith DeBorde. That marriage ended in divorce and she moved to Missoula, Montana to be near her brother.
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Kathy Rae Baze was born February 5, 1951 in Helena, Montana and was a daughter of Charles Buford and Mildred (Murphy) Baze. When she was just a baby, her parents moved from Montana to the desert town of Safford, Arizona and Kathy was taken on the long trip in a shoe box. Her father was just short of 50 years old when she was born and her mother had already turned 41. There were 4 older children, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. After moving to Arizona, and despite their age, Kathy would get a new baby brother.
The first of a number of tragedies that Kathy would endure over the course of a lifetime struck in January of 1958 when her father died at the age of 56. Kathy was not quite 7 years old at the time. It was then that her mother decided to take her 6 children to Radersburg, a tiny town in southwestern Montana, where she would be nearer to family members.
Kathy met Eddie Bill Gowan of Brawley, California in 1968 and on February 5, 1969 (Kathy's 18th birthday), they were married in Las Vegas, Nevada and then settled back into married life in Brawley. Exactly 9 months to the day after they married, Christopher Lee Gowan was welcomed as their first born. A year later, upon the retirement of Eddie Bill's father, the entire family moved to Corsicana, Texas where Eddie Bill had been born. Here Kathy worked at various retail locations but was more involved in being a housewife and a mother. She had only been in Texas about 2 years when her mother passed away. After almost 13 years of marriage, Eddie Bill and Kathy welcomed a second son, Charles Edward Gowan, in October of 1981.
In the late 1880's tragedy would strike again when Eddie Bill was diagnosed with Plasma Cell Leukemia. Kathy dutifully continued to raise Charlie and Chris and to be with Eddie Bill as he endured the pain and frustration of dealing with an agressive and deadly form of cancer. He passed away in the summer of 1989, leaving Kathy a widow at the age of 38 with a teenager and a 7 years old.
Kathy loved the small town life that Corsicana afforded and she and Eddie Bill loved drag racing. In the 1980's she worked at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas for 6 or 7 years and was beloved by the drag racing community she encountered during those years.
She remained in Corsicana well into the 1990's but then moved to the Pacific Northwest and began a new life. After a few years she settled happily in Missoula, Montana near one of her brothers. There she would discover motorcycle riding it would become her biggest passion as long as she lived.
But tragedy was to strike twice again within a period of just 5 weeks. Her younger son Charlie was killed in an an auto accident on July 15, 2002 and her mother-in-law, Gladys Gowan, passed away on August 21st.
Throughout all the trials and tribulations Kathy endured, she continued to offer her bright welcoming smile to all of her friends and family members. And she never allowed her grief to overcome her. She continued to enjoy life in her native Montana, occasionally visiting Corsicana to see relatives and old friends. On her last visit in December of 2015, nothing seemed apparently wrong.
But early in 2016, Kathy was diagnosed with an very aggressive form of cancer which took her life on February 25th. She had only recently turned 65 years old.
Kathy is survived by her son, Chris Gowan and his fiance, Charlotte Kuykendall of Corsicana; 4 grandchildren--Kristi, Kayed, Kaitlyn, and Mika; and one great-grandson,, Elijah. Also surviving are her 3 brothers, Butch, Ken and Mike Baze, and 2 sisters, Pat and Jimmie.
It was a privilege to know Kathy, and her many friends and family members will always cherish her memory. RIP
**************************************************************
Kathy Rae Baze was born February 5, 1951 in Helena, Montana and was a daughter of Charles Buford and Mildred (Murphy) Baze. When she was just a baby, her parents moved from Montana to the desert town of Safford, Arizona and Kathy was taken on the long trip in a shoe box. Her father was just short of 50 years old when she was born and her mother had already turned 41. There were 4 older children, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. After moving to Arizona, and despite their age, Kathy would get a new baby brother.
The first of a number of tragedies that Kathy would endure over the course of a lifetime struck in January of 1958 when her father died at the age of 56. Kathy was not quite 7 years old at the time. It was then that her mother decided to take her 6 children to Radersburg, a tiny town in southwestern Montana, where she would be nearer to family members.
Kathy met Eddie Bill Gowan of Brawley, California in 1968 and on February 5, 1969 (Kathy's 18th birthday), they were married in Las Vegas, Nevada and then settled back into married life in Brawley. Exactly 9 months to the day after they married, Christopher Lee Gowan was welcomed as their first born. A year later, upon the retirement of Eddie Bill's father, the entire family moved to Corsicana, Texas where Eddie Bill had been born. Here Kathy worked at various retail locations but was more involved in being a housewife and a mother. She had only been in Texas about 2 years when her mother passed away. After almost 13 years of marriage, Eddie Bill and Kathy welcomed a second son, Charles Edward Gowan, in October of 1981.
In the late 1880's tragedy would strike again when Eddie Bill was diagnosed with Plasma Cell Leukemia. Kathy dutifully continued to raise Charlie and Chris and to be with Eddie Bill as he endured the pain and frustration of dealing with an agressive and deadly form of cancer. He passed away in the summer of 1989, leaving Kathy a widow at the age of 38 with a teenager and a 7 years old.
Kathy loved the small town life that Corsicana afforded and she and Eddie Bill loved drag racing. In the 1980's she worked at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas for 6 or 7 years and was beloved by the drag racing community she encountered during those years.
She remained in Corsicana well into the 1990's but then moved to the Pacific Northwest and began a new life. After a few years she settled happily in Missoula, Montana near one of her brothers. There she would discover motorcycle riding it would become her biggest passion as long as she lived.
But tragedy was to strike twice again within a period of just 5 weeks. Her younger son Charlie was killed in an an auto accident on July 15, 2002 and her mother-in-law, Gladys Gowan, passed away on August 21st.
Throughout all the trials and tribulations Kathy endured, she continued to offer her bright welcoming smile to all of her friends and family members. And she never allowed her grief to overcome her. She continued to enjoy life in her native Montana, occasionally visiting Corsicana to see relatives and old friends. On her last visit in December of 2015, nothing seemed apparently wrong.
But early in 2016, Kathy was diagnosed with an very aggressive form of cancer which took her life on February 25th. She had only recently turned 65 years old.
Kathy is survived by her son, Chris Gowan and his fiance, Charlotte Kuykendall of Corsicana; 4 grandchildren--Kristi, Kayed, Kaitlyn, and Mika; and one great-grandson,, Elijah. Also surviving are her 3 brothers, Butch, Ken and Mike Baze, and 2 sisters, Pat and Jimmie.
It was a privilege to know Kathy, and her many friends and family members will always cherish her memory. RIP
After the death of her first husband, "Eddie Bill" Gowan, Kathy remarried to Michael Keith DeBorde. That marriage ended in divorce and she moved to Missoula, Montana to be near her brother.
**************************************************************
Kathy Rae Baze was born February 5, 1951 in Helena, Montana and was a daughter of Charles Buford and Mildred (Murphy) Baze. When she was just a baby, her parents moved from Montana to the desert town of Safford, Arizona and Kathy was taken on the long trip in a shoe box. Her father was just short of 50 years old when she was born and her mother had already turned 41. There were 4 older children, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. After moving to Arizona, and despite their age, Kathy would get a new baby brother.
The first of a number of tragedies that Kathy would endure over the course of a lifetime struck in January of 1958 when her father died at the age of 56. Kathy was not quite 7 years old at the time. It was then that her mother decided to take her 6 children to Radersburg, a tiny town in southwestern Montana, where she would be nearer to family members.
Kathy met Eddie Bill Gowan of Brawley, California in 1968 and on February 5, 1969 (Kathy's 18th birthday), they were married in Las Vegas, Nevada and then settled back into married life in Brawley. Exactly 9 months to the day after they married, Christopher Lee Gowan was welcomed as their first born. A year later, upon the retirement of Eddie Bill's father, the entire family moved to Corsicana, Texas where Eddie Bill had been born. Here Kathy worked at various retail locations but was more involved in being a housewife and a mother. She had only been in Texas about 2 years when her mother passed away. After almost 13 years of marriage, Eddie Bill and Kathy welcomed a second son, Charles Edward Gowan, in October of 1981.
In the late 1880's tragedy would strike again when Eddie Bill was diagnosed with Plasma Cell Leukemia. Kathy dutifully continued to raise Charlie and Chris and to be with Eddie Bill as he endured the pain and frustration of dealing with an agressive and deadly form of cancer. He passed away in the summer of 1989, leaving Kathy a widow at the age of 38 with a teenager and a 7 years old.
Kathy loved the small town life that Corsicana afforded and she and Eddie Bill loved drag racing. In the 1980's she worked at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas for 6 or 7 years and was beloved by the drag racing community she encountered during those years.
She remained in Corsicana well into the 1990's but then moved to the Pacific Northwest and began a new life. After a few years she settled happily in Missoula, Montana near one of her brothers. There she would discover motorcycle riding it would become her biggest passion as long as she lived.
But tragedy was to strike twice again within a period of just 5 weeks. Her younger son Charlie was killed in an an auto accident on July 15, 2002 and her mother-in-law, Gladys Gowan, passed away on August 21st.
Throughout all the trials and tribulations Kathy endured, she continued to offer her bright welcoming smile to all of her friends and family members. And she never allowed her grief to overcome her. She continued to enjoy life in her native Montana, occasionally visiting Corsicana to see relatives and old friends. On her last visit in December of 2015, nothing seemed apparently wrong.
But early in 2016, Kathy was diagnosed with an very aggressive form of cancer which took her life on February 25th. She had only recently turned 65 years old.
Kathy is survived by her son, Chris Gowan and his fiance, Charlotte Kuykendall of Corsicana; 4 grandchildren--Kristi, Kayed, Kaitlyn, and Mika; and one great-grandson,, Elijah. Also surviving are her 3 brothers, Butch, Ken and Mike Baze, and 2 sisters, Pat and Jimmie.
It was a privilege to know Kathy, and her many friends and family members will always cherish her memory. RIP
**************************************************************
Kathy Rae Baze was born February 5, 1951 in Helena, Montana and was a daughter of Charles Buford and Mildred (Murphy) Baze. When she was just a baby, her parents moved from Montana to the desert town of Safford, Arizona and Kathy was taken on the long trip in a shoe box. Her father was just short of 50 years old when she was born and her mother had already turned 41. There were 4 older children, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. After moving to Arizona, and despite their age, Kathy would get a new baby brother.
The first of a number of tragedies that Kathy would endure over the course of a lifetime struck in January of 1958 when her father died at the age of 56. Kathy was not quite 7 years old at the time. It was then that her mother decided to take her 6 children to Radersburg, a tiny town in southwestern Montana, where she would be nearer to family members.
Kathy met Eddie Bill Gowan of Brawley, California in 1968 and on February 5, 1969 (Kathy's 18th birthday), they were married in Las Vegas, Nevada and then settled back into married life in Brawley. Exactly 9 months to the day after they married, Christopher Lee Gowan was welcomed as their first born. A year later, upon the retirement of Eddie Bill's father, the entire family moved to Corsicana, Texas where Eddie Bill had been born. Here Kathy worked at various retail locations but was more involved in being a housewife and a mother. She had only been in Texas about 2 years when her mother passed away. After almost 13 years of marriage, Eddie Bill and Kathy welcomed a second son, Charles Edward Gowan, in October of 1981.
In the late 1880's tragedy would strike again when Eddie Bill was diagnosed with Plasma Cell Leukemia. Kathy dutifully continued to raise Charlie and Chris and to be with Eddie Bill as he endured the pain and frustration of dealing with an agressive and deadly form of cancer. He passed away in the summer of 1989, leaving Kathy a widow at the age of 38 with a teenager and a 7 years old.
Kathy loved the small town life that Corsicana afforded and she and Eddie Bill loved drag racing. In the 1980's she worked at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas for 6 or 7 years and was beloved by the drag racing community she encountered during those years.
She remained in Corsicana well into the 1990's but then moved to the Pacific Northwest and began a new life. After a few years she settled happily in Missoula, Montana near one of her brothers. There she would discover motorcycle riding it would become her biggest passion as long as she lived.
But tragedy was to strike twice again within a period of just 5 weeks. Her younger son Charlie was killed in an an auto accident on July 15, 2002 and her mother-in-law, Gladys Gowan, passed away on August 21st.
Throughout all the trials and tribulations Kathy endured, she continued to offer her bright welcoming smile to all of her friends and family members. And she never allowed her grief to overcome her. She continued to enjoy life in her native Montana, occasionally visiting Corsicana to see relatives and old friends. On her last visit in December of 2015, nothing seemed apparently wrong.
But early in 2016, Kathy was diagnosed with an very aggressive form of cancer which took her life on February 25th. She had only recently turned 65 years old.
Kathy is survived by her son, Chris Gowan and his fiance, Charlotte Kuykendall of Corsicana; 4 grandchildren--Kristi, Kayed, Kaitlyn, and Mika; and one great-grandson,, Elijah. Also surviving are her 3 brothers, Butch, Ken and Mike Baze, and 2 sisters, Pat and Jimmie.
It was a privilege to know Kathy, and her many friends and family members will always cherish her memory. RIP
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