Obituary of Kathleen McNutt Denholm

Kathleen McNutt Denholm, 74, of Spokane, Washington passed ​in Spokane Valley at Henderson Family Home ​on December 15, 2017. Kathleen was born December​ 7,​ 1943 in Miami, Florida as the only child of Walter and Henrietta McNutt.  In her early childhood the McNutts moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she resided until she attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas and received a Bachelors degree in education.  After she graduated from Texas Christian University she married Cole ​Lloyd ​Smith​, PhD.​ in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  They later divorced.

During her marriage to Cole she first moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in the summer of 1966 while Cole worked for an oil company.  They then moved to Rolla, Missouri while Cole continued his education and Kathleen taught English in Waynesville, Missouri from 1966 to 1968.  She then moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1968 where she again taught English.  Her next move was to Laramie, Wyoming where her son, Cade, was born in October, 1971.  After Cade Walter Smith was born the family moved to Lakewood, Colorado in October 1974 where Cole worked for the United States Geological Survey.  She joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1975.  In Lakewood her daughter Denisha Lenay Smith was born in July 1975.  

After Denisha was born, Kathleen and her family moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where they lived from 1976 to 1981.  While in Arabia,​ Kathleen taught at Parents Cooperative School in Jeddah.  During the five years she lived in Arabia, she took two extended vacations in Spokane, Washing​ton​ and visited several countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Germany, England, and Greece.  After she returned from Arabia to Lakewood, Colorado in 1981, her youngest child, Leala Marie Smith was born in April 1983.  After her return to Lakewood she worked at a facility that helped troubled teenagers.  Kathleen and her family moved from Lakewood, Colorado to Spokane, Washington in 1989.  

In 1991 Kathleen met and married Thomas (Tom) ​Richard ​Denholm, who dearly loved her.  She and Tom resided many years in the Spokane Valley, Washington.  Kathleen was a​n incredibly​ sweet and kind person who always had a loving word for everyone she met.

            ​She enjoyed music tremendously and played the piano beautifully. ​She loved reading, learning languages and scrapbooking. She had a genuine thirst for continual learning. She was fluent in both Spanish and Arabic. Kathleen continued her education further by getting her Master's degree at Whitworth College.

Kathleen is survived by her husband Tom Denholm and her children Cade, Denisha, and Leala.  She is also survived by her grandchildren; Kian, Kyler, Dallin, and Mi​y​a Berg; Sawyer Piper; Uli Smith; Cole, Caden, and Kelly Smith.  ​She is also survived by loving family​ members​ Frances and Cheryl White.​ She was preceded in death by her parents Walter and Henrietta McNutt.—

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday January 5th at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Pines Ward 14111 E 16th Ave Spokane Valley, Washington. Burial will be 1:30 P.M. Friday January 5th at Washington State Veterans Cemetery Medical Lake Washington. Bell Tower Funeral Home Post Falls, Idaho Has been entrusted with the car of final arrangements.