Kathleen Joanna Merkhofer

Kathy Merkhofer passed away from natural causes on Dec. 31, 2016, at home in Santa Cruz with her husband Lance at her side. Kathy was born to Dorothy and Forrest Tregea on Jan. 7, 1954, in Oakland, California. She spent her early years in Piedmont before the family moved to Stanford, where she graduated from Gunn High School. After first attending Texas Christian University, where she was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, Kathy graduated with honors from UC Davis in 1975, with a B.S. in Special Education. She met her husband Lance Merkhofer while at Davis, and they married in 1977. The couple lived in Stockton and San Francisco before settling in Santa Cruz in 1980. Their daughter Rachel was born in 1984. Kathy spent her life working in education, most recently working as a reading specialist at Branciforte Elementary School. She retired in 2002. She remained active in Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Women in Education, was an avid member of Mensa, and was part of the Peace United Church of Christ congregation. Despite being confined to a wheelchair for the last part of her life, Kathy always remained upbeat and cheerful, and loved to share her wit and intelligence with her friends and family. Kathy is survived by her beloved husband, Lance, daughter Rachel (Merkhofer) Stewart, son-in-law Daniel Stewart, and granddaughters Alice and Josephine. She is also survived by her mother Dorothy Tregea, brothers Jim Tregea, Sam Tregea (Jeannette) and Bill Tregea (Kathy), sisters Martie Muldoon (John) and Sarah Lindsay, many nieces and nephews, one great-niece, and numerous friends, including long-time caregiver Jose Cervantes. She is preceded in death by her father, Forrest Tregea. A service of remembrance will be held on Jan. 28, 2017, 2 p.m. at Peace United Church of Christ, 900 High Street, Santa Cruz. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship Fund, Katie Elliott-McCrea, 3320 Main Street, Soquel, CA 95073.