Kathie Jill (Furrer) Rayfield

Kathie Jill (Furrer) Rayfield gained her wings on July 10, 2018, after a two-year courageous battle with neuroendocrine carcinoma, an extremely rare form of cancer, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 68 years old.

Kathie wanted to make more people aware of the rare form of cancer and helped many doctors and nurses become aware of how to manage the disease. She worked endlessly with Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, who officially proclaimed Nov. 10 as Carcinoid Net Cancer Awareness Day for the state of Idaho. Kathie grew up in California where she found her love of the outdoors after many camping trips with her family. She moved to Idaho in 1977, where she helped raise her two daughters on a remote sheep farm in Coco-lalla. A hippie at heart, Kathie learned to live off the land, grew all her own vegetables in her beautiful garden and made delicious home-cooked meals on a wood stove. She learned to spin on a drop spindle during her time on the Navajo reservation, taught herself to weave and made beautiful hand-spun treasures for friends, family and her business, Light in the Forest Wools. Kathie was the ultimate shepard to her flock, all animals small or large and her family, always putting their needs ahead of her own. She was a huge support system to her daughters and never missed the opportunity to cheer them on or be the shoulder to cry on. Kathie’s pride continued on to her grandchildren, who affectionately called her “Grandma Ha-Ha,” making sure to be at every single one of their events no matter how far away. She always brought her big smile, with her partner Bob by her side, and a big plate of homemade treats. That smile will be missed but be remembered forever in our hearts. Kathie is preceded in death by her parents, Clinton and Annelise Furrer of Mora, New Mexico; her brother, Kimberly Furrer of Pueblo West, Colorado; her sister, Laurie Furrer of Hood River, Oregon; and many beloved pets and animals. She is survived by her two daughters, Sunshine Siebert and her husband, Darin, of Lewiston, Idaho; Jill Eberley and her husband, Clint of Sandpoint, Idaho; her partner, Robert Coutts of Athol, Idaho; her sister, Sue Vickery; a sister-in-law, Jannell Furrer; and grandchildren, Zachary Carothers, Gabe Carothers, Clayton Eberley and Colton Eberley; along with Koda Tillberg, daughter adopted with love; and many nieces and nephews.

A private celebration of life will be held at a later date with all her favorite food and drink, along with a hike in the beautiful Montana Cabinet Mountains to catch the breathtaking views she loved so much.