Kathleen Morley
Katy Morley enjoyed caring for others and watching any animal that came across her path. Her passion for caring for others and love of wildlife were notable, endearing and will be missed.
Kathleen ‘Katy’ Ann (Baier) Morley, 79, passed away at home March 28, 2024 in Centralia, Wash.
Kathleen was born Feb. 25, 1945 in Atlantic, Iowa to Edward and Isabel (Miller) Baier. She lived on the farm in Exira, Iowa until the family moved to Coulee City, Wash. in 1956. She called this area home for the next 63 years — staying within 30 miles of Coulee City until moving to Centralia in 2019 to be closer to family.
As a farm kid in rural Iowa, Katy attended school in a one-room schoolhouse through the fifth grade. She graduated from Coulee City High School in 1963 and went to Kinman Business School in Wenatchee before working as receptionist/bookkeeper for Dr. Piper in Ephrata.
Katy met Harry Morley at the Colorama Rodeo dance in May of 1966. She went home that night and told her mother, “He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m gonna marry that man” and it didn’t take long for that to become a reality — they were married five months later and celebrated 53 years together before Harry’s death in 2020. In 1970 their little family grew to three with the birth of their first daughter, followed in 1972 by daughter number two. In 1977 they moved from Wilson Creek to Stratford and built their life on the little green island in the sagebrush along Stratford Road.
Katy enjoyed camping, hunting, shootin, and snowmobiling with family and friends. Camping stories from early in their marriage were some of her favorite to tell and always resulted in tears of laughter. Her hobbies included reading, cross stitch and crochet. She loved watching the quail, coyote and deer — as well as the stray moose, bear or wolf pass through the yard. When the meadowlarks started singing in the spring it was time to get serious about her tomato plants!
As the oldest of four and the only girl, being a caretaker came naturally to Katy — it was who she was and what she did for her entire life. She was a truly selfless woman who loved her people best by serving them. Katy was a caretaker, a giver of her time, an organizer and a list-maker. She spent her life making people feel loved, welcome and known, and was the first to volunteer to help when someone needed an errand run or ride to town for an appointment. She cared for her mom as she got older, helped her brothers as they faced medical challenges, and did everything she could to help Harry navigate life with rheumatoid arthritis for nearly their entire marriage.
Katy was preceded in death by her husband, Harry, brother Matt Baier and her parents.
She is survived by daughters Sarah Selstrom (Mike) and Marty Miller (Ben), grandkids Madison Phillips, Broc and Kolby Selstrom, and Ryan and Darby Miller; brothers John Baier, Mark Baier (Margie), and numerous nieces and nephews; as well as her ‘almost sister,’ Mary Morley. She also leaves behind some dear, dear friends who are chosen family.
Though our eyes are filled with tears, our hearts are filled with joy for her as she is no longer restricted by illness and pain and is dancing with dad again and sharing stories with friends and family she has missed for years. At her request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Visiting Nurses Foundation.