Kathleen Wood

Kathleen Wood, 84, passed away in her Berkeley, California home January 2, 2023. Born December 18, 1938 in Petaluma, California, to Harold and Pauline (Lassen) Johannsen. She was raised on the family poultry ranch, where hard work and pursuing education were family expectations. After graduating from Petaluma High School in 1956, academic scholarships in hand, she earned degrees at Santa Rosa Junior College and California State University, East Bay. She married Gary Wood in 1958; they had two children, Jeffrey and Kimberly. After she and Gary divorced, she enjoyed a 30-year relationship with partner Jack Walker.

Kathleen was energetic, spirited, and loved to laugh. She had a passion for birding; adventure travel to wild places, including an African safari, mountain climbing in Alaska, exploring South Pacific Islands; and later tracing unchanged routes of Lewis and Clark Expedition. She was an accomplished open water swimmer, completing swims from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco and from Angel Island to Tiburon. She loved gardening, cats, and family genealogy. For 20 years, she worked at UC Berkeley in administration. As a Christian, she looked forward to being with loved ones who passed before, especially daughter Kim who died 2020.

Kathleen is survived by her son Jeff and daughter-in-law Kristine, their children Andrew (Alissa), and great-granddaughter Riley, Lake Oswego, OR; Hilary Cosmedy (Chris) and great-granddaughter Olivia, Concord, CA; grandson Michael Knudsen (Kassie) and great-granddaughter Harlow, Nipomo, CA; and her younger brothers Donald Johannsen (Gloria), Fremont, CA; and Neil Johannsen (Hilary Hilscher), Bainbridge Island, WA; and niece Kristina Johannsen (Kelli Lidwell), Seattle, WA.

A Celebration of Life for Kathleen will be held in April at Cypress Hill Memorial Park, Petaluma, CA. In lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree in her honor or making a donation to:

American Cancer Society

1-800-277-2345

National Audubon Society

donations@goldnegateaudubon.org