Kathleen Michelle Dunbar

Kathleen Michelle Dunbar passed away on April 19, 2026, at her home in Westcliffe, Colorado at 68 years of age. Kathy was born in Sidney, Nebraska to Joseph Roy and Janice Nedra (Thompson) Dunbar. 

Kathy grew up in Gillette, Wyoming, where she attended grade school and graduated from Campbell County High School. She was very active in high school band, playing the clarinet and bassoon. Kathy was also active in the 4-H club, where she discovered she had an amazing talent for leathercraft and leather tooling. While in school, Kathy created and compiled a wonderful book of original poems that received high reviews from her teachers and peers.

As a young adult Kathy attended Sheridan Community College in Sheridan, Wyoming for several years and worked in coal mines around Gillette, as well as in gold mines near Anchorage, Alaska. Kathy went on to study woodworking and carpentry in Utah and later moved to Spearfish, South Dakota, where she started her own business restoring antiques, crafting and finishing custom furniture, and other woodworking projects. Through hard work and diligence over many years in business, Kathy became a master woodworker and craftperson with many dedicated and grateful customers and friends. Kathy later moved to Littleton, Colorado, to help care for her family.

Kathy fulfilled her longtime dream of building a self-sufficient cabin on property she purchased in Westcliffe, Colorado. Kathy poured her heart and soul into designing, building, and furnishing her home with everything needed to be completely independent of local utilities and water. Kathy left Littleton, Colorado for Westcliffe, and lived on her property until her death.

Kathy is preceded in death by her grandparents; older brother, Joseph W. Dunbar; mother, Janice Dunbar and brother-in-law Daric Smith. Kathy is survived by her father Joseph R. Dunbar of Littleton, Colorado; brother Michael Dunbar of Lake Charles, Louisiana; brother James Dunbar and wife Linda of Littleton, Colorado; sister Mary Dunbar-Smith of Topeka, Kansas; sister Jennifer (Dunbar) Voravong andhusband Ouvieng of Kansas City, Missouri; brother Steve Dunbar and wife Amy of Lafayette, Colorado; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins

Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 10:30AM at Drinkwine Family Mortuary, 999 W. Littleton Boulevard, Littleton, CO 80120; a reception will immediately follow at The Cherry Cricket, 819 W. Littleton Boulevard - next door to the mortuary. 

Inurnment will follow the reception at 2PM at Fairmount Cemetery, 430, W. Quebec Street, Denver, CO 80247.

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