Wife, mother, friend, advocate Katherine Anne "Kathie" (Biggs) Darby of San Francisco passed away Feb. 15, following a brief but strong fight against liver cancer.

Kathie grew up in the Richmond district and attended George Washington High School. At the University of California, Berkeley, she studied linguistics and worked at the faculty club.

She met her husband-to-be Sam in her first week in Berkeley. Kathie graduated with honors in 1983 and gave birth to her first child a few days later.

When her second child was born with Down syndrome, she found her calling in advocacy for people with special needs. She earned a masters degree in special education and volunteered with Nursing Mothers Counsel and Support for Families of Children with Special Needs. She also served as president of the PTSA at San Francisco School of the Arts. Kathie gathered numerous friends, as evidenced by the love and support she received after her diagnosis.

Kathie is survived by her husband Sam Darby; children Claire, Emma and Allen of San Francisco; sister and brother-in-law Carrie Biggs-Adams and Dayne Adams; brother Franklin Biggs; brother and sister-in-law Allen and Kathy Marshall Biggs; aunt Doris Prince; uncle Clark Biggs; mother- and father-in-law Carolyn R and Sam Darby; sister- and brother-in-law Deborah and John Abernethy; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald Clair Biggs and Bernice Prince Biggs.

There will be a celebration on life on March 15, at the Unitarian Church at Geary & Franklin, SF at 11 AM. Kathie requested that attendees wear pink.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Support for Families of Children with Disabilities or the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco.