Kay Foss passed away at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Wash., from surgery complications

Kay was born in Milwaukee, Wisc. She was the first child born to Frank and Lorraine Gredler. She has a brother John, who is married to Rose.

In 1959, the family moved to South Milwaukee, where Kay graduated from South Milwaukee High School. Her love of music and singing started there. In 1973, Kay graduated from Carol College in Waukesha Wisc., with a bachelor’s degree in education. She taught English at Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisc., from 1973 to 1976.

In 1976, Kay moved to Bremerhaven, Germany. There she taught English and journalism to U.S. military dependents at a Department of Defense school.

In 1978, she met David Foss who had been hired to teach art and U.S. history at the same school where Kay taught.

Kay and Dave were married in Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 21, 1980. They both had Scandinavian ancestry. Family and friends attended their wedding.

The newly married couple came to Coupeville, Wash., where Dave had taught from 1974 to 1978 and was returning to his teaching position there.

On Nov. 4, 1984, our daughter Amy was born. Amy has been the joy in Kay and Dave’s life. She is a strength in this time. She has the same traits as her mother: strong, positive, friendly and adventuresome. Amy and her husband Anthony have blessed us with two granddaughters, Violet and Daisy.

Kay was hired to teach in the Coupeville School District from 1982 until 2006. Kay taught English, social studies, journalism and life skills at the middle and high school levels.

Kay was particularly proud of her Life Skills program in which middle schoolers could go out on adventures to learn life skills. She took groups of middle schoolers on the Cutty Sark, a 50-foot classic ketch owned and captained by John Stone. Middle school students learned how to navigate and sail his boat from Coupeville Wharf to Bowman’s Bay at Deception Pass and camped there overnight before sailing back to Coupeville. One trip took them up to the Swinomish Indian Reservation at Laconner, Wash. At the tribal center, they met with Swinomish Tribe members, shared a meal, experienced native culture and spent the night, before sailing back to Coupeville.

Kay’s life skills groups also went to Careage nursing home in Coupeville, where students visited and talked with and shared their talents with the residents. Talents could be anything from showing a pet iguana to showing how to make a lasso and roping. The residences were thrilled to have these young people there.

Kay and Dave retired in 2006 and had many adventures traveling to Eastern Europe, Russia, China, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The last few years, great American cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans and other cities were the focus of their travels.

Kay was a longtime member of the Coupeville United Methodist Church where she participated in many areas of vital ministry in the life of the church.

She was a longtime member of the Whidbey Community Chorus. She has been its president, vice president and a board member. She enjoyed singing and performing with this group.

Kay was an avid reader who so enjoyed meeting with her book club. She had many interests, including the local food bank, Penn Cove Water Festival, gardening and current social issues.

Kay led a full, spiritual life filled with love, friendship and adventure. She will be missed.

A Celebration of Life for Kay Foss is 2 p.m. Aug. 28 at Coupeville United Methodist Church outside at Fellowship Field.