Kathleen Bernadette Favaro

Kathleen Bernadette Hogan Debenham Favaro passed away peacefully in her home with her ‘angel’ caregiver, Shauna Debenham Conant holding her hand.  She was born in London, England to Irish parents Patrick Joseph and Rosanna Hogan. The oldest of 7 children Kathleen was intelligent, clever and resourceful. During WWII she experienced the full force of the German bombings in London including bombs that landed on her own home. At 17 she performed with a roller-skating trio on vaudeville stages and night clubs from Piccadilly to Edinburgh.  It was in a roller-skating rink that she met an American Airman Harold James Debenham. They married, had four children and eventually settled in Spokane, Washington.

Education and learning were part of Kathleen’s DNA. Having finished compulsory schooling at 14 in England she knew she wanted more. In America, while raising a family and being a ‘homemaker’ in the 1950s and ‘60s she pursued and received high school and college degrees, graduating at the top of her class in education.  She spent 26 years as an influential elementary and Jr high school teacher in Freeman, Washington before retiring with her husband Leo Favaro to travel the US, to enjoy multiple cruises, be the club president of several clubs at Sunset Resort in Surprise, AZ and spend summers entertaining at their home on a bay of the Spokane River in Post Falls, ID.

At ‘four-feet-eleven-and-three-quarter-inches-tall’ (her words) you couldn’t get Kathleen to sit down.  She was always on the go and ‘doin’, doin’. She was an avid Bloomsday walker and much like her mother cooked meal after meal for family and friends.

Her trademarks were Birkenstocks with socks, recipe cards by the score, tee shirts with elastics waist bands, her jewelry/snow globes/teddy bear and Beany Baby collections, her bright eyes and white, white hair that framed her face.

In her last days of life she was witty and measured one liners came from her that made you laugh out loud.  Most importantly, in her presence, you knew you were loved, respected and would be treated with dignity.

She is preceded in death by her husband Leo Favaro, his daughter and son Kathleen and Victor,  her siblings John Hogan, Hannah Hogan Sanders, Rose Pelligrino and Etty Burciago.

Kathleen is survived by her children, Pat Debenham (Kathie), Terry Debenham, Shauna Conant (Bill) and Craig Debenham (Debi), stepdaughter Pam Favaro, 17 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.

Internment will be at 1:00 p.m. on June 12, 2021 at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane, WA.  Local arrangements are under the direction of Joel Heward Hansen Mortuary.

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