MARTIN, Kathryn Ann

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona - Published Sunday, January 9, 2011 - Kathryn Ann Martin (Katie) beloved wife, sister, auntie and godmother passed away Dec. 19, 2010 at Cedars-Sinai Critical Care unit in Beverly Hills, Calif., of acute pulmonary hypertension. The degree of her condition was beyond the experience and capability of this famous hospital, but as she hoped, the information they gained from her is re-writing the book on this fairly rare condition so future patients will have a better chance at survival. She was born Kathryn Ann Kolan on June 1, 1945, in Madison, Wis., to Eileen and Joe Kolan. She grew up, graduated high school and Beauty College and met her lifelong partner, Robert Martin, in Eugene, Ore. They rode and raced motorcycles for relaxation. They moved to California and formed their own business, and it flourished and gained them fame and allowed them to travel throughout the United States, Europe and Costa Rica. In 1985, the business climates in California forced the Martins to look elsewhere to relocate their business. Returning from a visit with her sister in Lake Havasu City, she asked her partner “Why not move to Lake Havasu?” Upon which Robert replied, “I like Disneyland but I don’t know if I want to live there.” That summer the Martins moved their business to Lake Havasu City. Katie was an amazing person with a personality that lit up a room, made new acquaintances feel good and old friends delight in her company. An accomplished RC Pilot, a talented graphics artist, a national AMA newsletter awards winner, co-founder of the Havasu Classics Car Club of Lake Havasu City, Hawk of the year recipient, co-chairman of the Schneider-Cup Re-Enactment, first woman to fly an RC aircraft in Costa Rica, and contingency Chief for SCORE Int. are only a few of her many accomplishments. Katie is survived by her lifelong partner of 46 years, Robert Martin, of Lake Havasu City; her 94-year-old mother, Eileen Kolan, of Springfield, Ore.; her sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Rick Byers, of Lake Havasu City; her sister and brother-in-law, Virginia and Bill Fletcher, her nephew, Mike Fletcher, of Springfield, Ore.; her two nieces, Kristi and Kari Byers, of San Diego, Calif.; her father-in-law, John Hanks; her brother and sister-in-law, John III and Barbara Hanks, Lake Havasu City; her sister-in-law, Pam Toh, of Riner, Va.; her sister-in-law, Janice Davis, of Baltimore, Md.; and her godson, David Rehak, of Chino Hills, Calif. To express your respect and to learn of her memorial, please email bob57@npgcable.com. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice of Havasu in her name.