Kathleen Creamer Weiss, age 83, of Herriman Utah, passed away peacefully and surrounded by love on Thursday, June 20, 2019. Stubborn in death as she was in life, she took her time. She was never a woman to be rushed out the door!
Kathleen was born September 14, 1935 in Washington, District of Columbia. The oldest child of Donald and Blanche Creamer, she had a knack for finding beauty in a tumultuous world growing up during the Great Depression and World War II. As she got older, her loving heart led her to play an integral role in helping to raise and nurture her five younger siblings.
Her adult life started normally enough with a position as a clerical secretary with Sears Roebuck and Co., in Virginia, but this was not a woman who would settle for normal! At eighteen, Kathleen became a ballroom dance instructor and embarked on an extraordinary, lifelong adventure. Teaching led to competitive dancing, and Kathleen, with her professional partner, was ranked amongst the seven best Latin American ballroom competitors in the world. As she loved to say, this gave her the opportunity to travel the world at a time when airplanes had piano bars!
It's no accident that her love for dancing led her to the love of her life, her husband, Frank Weiss. She was his dance instructor, and even though you're technically not supposed to date your students, we're all very thankful she did. They married September 19, 1969 in Arlington, Virginia, and her adventure was now shared with her favorite companion. Together they owned a dance studio in Salt Lake City in the 1980's, where they brought joy to so many and sparked that love of dance in others. Her professional career culminated in teaching in the ballroom dance program at Arizona State University where she charmed her students; she had a teacher's heart. We may never know the full extent of our impact on others, but if just a few more folks are taking a spin around the dance floor thanks to Kathleen, well…job well done!
In addition to all things dance, Kathleen also loved crossword puzzles, cheesy disaster movies, and a 3pm glass of Jim Beam. She could also kick anyone's butt at Scrabble except maybe her son-in-law's.
But what she loved most in life was family and friends. Kathleen leaves behind her two beloved children, Ric Winter, and Amy (husband Scott) Weiss, her smart and beautiful granddaughters Katie Winter and Anne Winter, and darling, precocious great-granddaughter Scarlett Winter. She is also survived by her adored siblings and siblings-in-law Vivian (husband Dan) Creamer Boyle, Dan Creamer, Fae (husband George) Creamer Laurie, and Christopher Anita Creamer Hawkins. Then there are her nieces, nephews, extended family, dear friends, pets, and pretty much the entire world. She loved everyone, and filled our years with joy.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Frank, and brother Donald Creamer.
Kathleen had profound hearing loss her entire life (although she still heard the music!), which meant she talked too loudly and sang badly. But it also meant she had a quiet, inner world that she loved and we envied. A self-professed daydreamer, we know her musings were filled with love and kindness. Kathleen is now experiencing those dreams beyond her wildest imagination, and a tango or two amongst the stars with her dearest Frank.
In lieu of anything else, please be kind to each other.
