“Perhaps they are not stars in the sky,
but rather openings where our loved ones shine down
to let us know they are happy.”
Katie's Story
On the morning of October 30th, 2025, Katie Louise Williams (Kroiss), of Bend, Oregon, passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her loving family and dear friends, after a courageous seven-month battle with metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Katie lived a life filled with connection and had a remarkable gift for building lifelong friendships, rooted in laughter, loyalty, and genuine warmth. Those who knew her carry memories of moments that left a lasting impression on their heart and helped shape and uplift the lives of everyone around her.
Katie was born January 20, 1982, to Bernard (“Bernie”) Kroiss and Marilyn Dotts, and was the second of three children raised in Colville, Washington. Katie attended K-12 in Colville, graduating from Colville High School in 2000. Growing up, Katie enjoyed many sports, including softball, basketball, cross-country, and 11 years with the Colville Swim Team. As a senior, she was nominated as Student of the Month, recognizing her hard work in academics, leadership, and athletic participation.
After high school, Katie attended college at Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis and later Eastern Washington University (EWU) in Cheney, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science. She later pursued additional training in massage therapy at Central Oregon Community College (COCC) in Bend, becoming a licensed massage therapist.
Katie met her husband, Gabe Williams, while attending OSU. During this time, they enjoyed many adventures together and were soon engaged. On April 26, 2008, they exchanged vows on a beautiful beach in Maui. They later settled in Bend, Oregon, before welcoming their first child. On April 11, 2011, Katie and Gabe celebrated the birth of their son, Jackson. Becoming a mother was one of Katie’s greatest joys and on April 15, 2016, they welcomed their beautiful daughter, Makena. As a mother, Katie was filled with a sense of purpose and love that grounded her through many challenges. Through her children, she discovered a deeper strength, a softer tenderness, and a joy that shaped every part of who she was. For Katie, motherhood wasn’t just a role she stepped into; it was a place where her heart lived most fully.
Katie loved the outdoors. She found peace in winding trails, quiet lakes, and the steady rhythm of the ocean. Whether wandering through forests, casting a line into the water, or standing barefoot on the shores of Maui, she carried a deep reverence for the world around her. Trips to the Oregon Coast, Maui, Canada, the Twickenham ranch and her childhood home in Colville were more than travels—they were moments of belonging, filled with laughter, stories, and the warmth of those she loved.
Katie moved through life with a gentleness that touched everyone she met. As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, she showed her love in small everyday ways that reflected a life deeply and beautifully lived. Her presence was comforting, her kindness steady, and her heart was always open. Though her absence leaves an ache beyond words, the memories she gifted us—her laughter, her love, her light—remain woven into our lives. And in every sunrise over water, every rustling branch along the trail, we will find pieces of her still with us, held forever in our hearts.
Katie was preceded in death by her father, Bernie Kroiss and her father-in-law, Matt Williams. She is survived by her husband, Gabe Williams; son, Jackson; and daughter, Makena, of Bend, OR; grandparents, Grant and Caroline Dotts, of Colville, WA; mother, Marilyn Dotts (Barry), of Chewelah, WA; mother-in-law Kim Williams (John) of Yakima, WA; sister, Trina Foust (Coby), of Colville, WA; brother, Chad Kroiss (Jana), of Colville, WA; brother-in- law, Josh Williams (Molly) of Dayville, OR; sister-in-law, Trista Williams (Tyler) of Twickenham, OR; nieces and nephews, Kamber, Clay, Ansoldo, Merrit, Brodie, Roanan; and many other beloved family members on both sides of the family.
This website is a special place where we can come together to share our memories and stories of Katie—a place to honor her life and the love she gave so freely.
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