Katja Gama

Katja Gama, 61, of Othello, died Monday, Feb. 18, in her home.

Katja was born in Darmstad, Germany on Oct. 19, 1946, to Luisa Schnieder. She was raised and educated in Darmstad, and trained as a beautician after high school. Katja managed a beauty shop in Darmstad until moving to Othello in 1970. She went back to school at Char-Glo in Moses Lake to update her license and went to work for "Hair Care" in Othello. Katja worked many jobs, often at the same time, to provide for her children. Besides hair care, she also worked as a cook in many of the restaurants in town, including the Steak House and the Brunswick. She met Ray Gama in the early 1980s and they married in 1986. In 1996 Katja went to work for the school district in the school kitchen. She loved working with and around the children and was affectionately known as "The Lunch Lady." Katja loved and was loved by all the children she met, especially her own and her grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking and remembered the favorite dishes of her children and all of their families. She always made it a point to include their specific favorite whenever they were at her house for dinner. When they were all there it made for very large meals. Katja was passionate about flowers. She enjoyed decorating her house with fresh flowers, family pictures and her collections of miniature glass slippers and bells of all types. She embraced her German heritage and looked forward to her annual trips to Germany to care for her mother. Katja's favorite times were those spent with family and friends. She delighted in entertaining and gathering her friends for food and fellowship. She was a member of the Othello Eagles Aerie No. 3396 and the Othello Church of the Nazarene.

Katja will be remembered as a ray of sunshine that lit up a room just by entering it. Everyone was family because she never met a stranger and to everyone she was Mom.

Her sister and an infant son, Steven, preceded Katja in death. She is survived by her mother Luisa Schnieder of Germany, her husband Reynaldo Gama of Othello, her children and their spouses; Ben (Mandy) Jensen of Othello, Nicolle (Theodore) Ralph of Moses Lake, Desi (Rena) Gama of Pasco, Bernadine "Bern" (Tom) Kummer of Othello and Jacob (Kassie) Gama of Lancaster, Calif., and 12 grandchildren.

Katja's life will be celebrated on Monday Feb. 25, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. at the Othello Church of the Nazarene. Burial will follow at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens. Services are under the direction of Stevens Funeral Chapel in Othello. To view this obituary, along with pictures of Katja, sign the guest book and light a candle for her, visit stevensfuneralchapel.com.