Katherine Steele Knox

Katherine Steele Knox passed away peacefully in Spokane on June 20, 2025. She was surrounded by loving members of her family. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Knox, her three children, Derek Knox, Matthew Knox, Amy Knox Costilla, her sister Meta Marshall, and her daughters Margie Overmyer and Sarah Overmyer, and three grandchildren, Harry, Henry, and Claire. Kathy began her remarkably exceptional life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she was born on December 31, 1953. Her happy childhood was in Ossining, New York. In high school, Kathy won an appeal to the board of education to allow her to play on the boys' tennis team where she was extremely competitive. Apparently sensing her natural gift for advocacy, the board of education asked her to work on a health problem regarding toxic chemicals, which were poisoning the fish in the Hudson River. Kathy advocated for the fisherman and their families by organizing a process to survey the number of fishermen along the river to determine whether they benefited from information warning them of the toxic risks. After graduation from the University of Wisconsin, she immediately enrolled and graduated from Pace University School of Law and was a practicing attorney for 42 years. She lived in Richland, Washington for seven years with husband Kenneth where their three children were born. Upon moving to Cheney, she clerked at the Court of Appeals in Spokane, then mentored attorneys in Yakima and Spokane, followed by 26 years as City Department Head of the Spokane City Public Defender's Office. She went out of her way to pay particular attention to her clients’ needs and provide appropriate advice and resources. She was an avid quilter with extensive knowledge of all the quilt shops and artists of note, and was extremely prolific, producing dozens of beautiful quilts which she freely gave away to anyone she thought might benefit from owning one. Whenever a baby was born to someone she knew, they would receive a baby quilt. Two neighbors were veterans, and they received Quilts of Honor. Her final two years of life were at Cheney Assisted Living where the walls were adorned by her beautiful quilt artwork. Many obituaries mentioned how generous and kind the person was, but Katherine was the real deal. She constantly and incessantly was looking for ways to help people. She would approach strangers in public places whom she noticed might be needing directions, or some information about why they were there, and how they could accomplish what she suspected they needed to do. She would tell her husband to help someone nearby so she could proceed talking to another person in hopes of helping them. She was an incredible force for good. Services will be at the Cheney Funeral Chapel on June 28th at 1:00 pm.

Katherine Steele Knox

December 31, 1953 - June 20, 2025