Kathleen Cranney Forsyth

Kathleen Cranney Forsyth, born June 5, 1952, in Orem, Utah, passed away on March 7, 2025. The middle child in a family of five brothers, she grew up with one foot in the refined world of a doctor’s daughter and the other firmly in a stirrup, accompanied by beloved horses and dogs that remained her most steadfast companions throughout life.

From an early age, Kathleen found joy in the outdoors and in adventure. She rode motorcycles with passion, later discovering the thrill of skydiving, though her nursing career eventually led her to set aside the helmet. She married David Forsyth, her soulmate, and together they created a life filled with laughter and love. Kathleen often declared that David was far more handsome than the Robert Redford he was so frequently compared to. They delighted in their six children and, after setting aside the pursuit of a perfectly polished home, raised them with summers and winters spent in snow, sand, and water, surrounded by joy and connection.

A devoted nurse for 55 years, Kathleen was a quiet hero who instinctively left the ninety and nine to rescue the one. Whether guiding a struggling swimmer to safety on the Green River or sitting with dying patients so they would not be alone, she responded to every call for help with courage and compassion. She saved countless lives and comforted many more, while also opening her heart and home to foster dogs, caring for fifty over the years.

Kathleen is survived by her husband David, her children Kara (Keven) Cottle, Josh (Amy) Forsyth, Jonathan (Fernanda) Forsyth, Megan (Nate) Walters, Kevin (Shari) Forsyth, and Kate (Denn Madsen) Forsyth, eleven grandchildren with one on the way, and many whose lives she touched. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wyndon Doyle Cranney and Nettie Marie Petersen Cranney, and her older brothers William and Baby Boy Cranney.