On a tragic Monday in September, the life of Kathleen 'Kathy' Gaarde, a 62-year-old White female from Woodbridge, Virginia, was cut short in a senseless act of violence. On September 16, 2013, Gaarde was at her job as a financial analyst at the Washington Navy Yard when a gunman began a rampage, killing twelve people before he was killed by police.
Gaarde, who was just months away from a well-deserved retirement, was one of the victims.
Her husband of 38 years, Douglass Gaarde, described her as his life partner. The couple had two grown children, a son and a daughter, and were looking forward to spending their retirement traveling and pursuing their hobbies. An avid animal lover and conservationist, Kathleen dedicated her free time to volunteering as a bluebird monitor at the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. She also had a passion for gardening and was a devoted fan of the Washington Capitals hockey team, holding season tickets for over two decades.
In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty of the shooting, her family waited for hours for news. Her daughter, Jessica, later recounted the pain of learning about her mother's death through rumors before it was officially confirmed. A co-worker who witnessed the tragedy said he saw the gunman shoot her while she was at her desk, emailing with her husband. The sudden and violent nature of her death left her family and friends devastated, robbing them of a future with a woman described as a devoted daughter, wife, and mother who always prioritized the needs of her loved ones.
The perpetrator of the mass shooting was identified and killed at the scene by law enforcement. There have been no other arrests or suspects named in connection with the tragic death of Kathleen Gaarde, as her passing was part of a larger, indiscriminate attack. Her family was left to mourn a vibrant life taken too soon, a life that was about to enter a new chapter of relaxation and adventure.
