In Memoriam | Sara Ruth Rudkin Kissel

||| FROM KATHLEEN LUNDE |||

Sara Ruth Rudkin Kissel

On Wednesday April 27, we lost our Sara. She died of cardiac arrest on the medi-vac plane on the way to the hospital. Initial findings indicated that she had cancer although we are awaiting the final results from the medical examiner. She was only 47.

Sara was born April 16th, 1975 at her parents home outside of Ava, Missouri in the Ozark Mountains. At two weeks of age her parents lost their farm caretaking job and returned to the Bay Area where they were from. After two years the family moved to Seattle where Sara’s father found work building custom homes for his brother-in-law. After her parents separated, Sara and her mom moved to Orcas in 1981 when Sara was in kindergarten and have remained here ever since.

Sara was known in the community for her hard work, sense of humor and love and devotion to her family and friends. She owned two restaurants on Orcas, Bilbos and Agave, ending up with her own property managing business, Salish Services, all the while raising three children.

Sara is survived by her mother, Kathleen (Kathy) Lunde (Timothy), her husband Logan Kissel, children Violet, Quinn and Cole Kissel, brother Logan Rudkin (Mary), grandparents Alvin and Nancy Rudkin, stepfather Jeff Stribling, many many friends and cousins, nieces and nephews. We all miss her so much.

I want to thank Emily McGerty for setting up a GoFundMe to help Sara’s children get back on their feet and the 128 donors who helped out.

I also want to thank all our friends and family for attending our lakeside celebration of life and the many cards and letters we have received. This has devastated her family and we want the island to know how much we appreciate your support.