Kathleen Muriel Lamm

Kathleen Muriel Lamm August 13, 1953 - September 6, 2023 Kathleen Muriel Lamm passed away on September 6, 2023. She finally lost her battle with lung cancer which was diagnosed as Stage IV in March of 2023. Kathleen was born in Ogden, Utah, August 13, 1953 to Rachel and Robert Bishop . She has four siblings that arrived after her: Michael, Patricia, Carey, and Bill. The family moved frequently with at one point they lived next to her father's mother and stepfather in Southern California. When the family moved to Denver, Colorado, her father suddenly decided to abandon his pregnant wife and four children. Kathleen was six-years-old. Matters went from bad to far worse very quickly. With her mother having to be hospitalized as reaction to the abandonment, the four children were sent temporarily to foster homes. Unfortunately, Kathleen and Michael were assigned to a very abusive foster care home. When her mother recovered, she astonishingly took her children to live in a ghetto near East Los Angeles. Kathleen finally left the ghetto at 18 years as she married. She had her first child, Michelle. Against all odds, she managed to graduate from Cal State University at Los Angeles with a degree in education. Shortly later she divorced her husband and began to raise her daughter by herself with some help from her mother. Later she married again. This time to Albert Lamm. She soon had her second child, Albert. During this marriage, Kathleen decided to write a book about her experiences growing up in a Black and Mexican ghetto. She thought that this book would help those who live in the ghetto by exposing how they really live to those outside of the ghetto. Her book was entitled: "A White Face Painted Brown: the true story of a young girl's journey into the bosom of a Black and Mexican Los Angeles ghetto called Aliso Village." The book contains heart-wrenching stories of the life there that she had hoped would in some way better their lives by drawing attention. While she initially promoted the book, it did very well through radio, television (KTVU) interviews, and book signings. She received many letters from people who read her book and how it had changed their lives. Kathy was a very talented, loving, passionate woman. She loved to talk and debate. We would often tease her by calling her "Chatty Cathy" in reference to the doll. She loved her Catholic Faith and often took advantage of opportunities to help those in need in the most Christ-like manner. She is survived by her husband, Albert, daughter Michelle, Son Albert, and two grandchildren, Zachary and Brooklynn. She had deep love for her son and daughter but especially for her grandchildren. We will all miss her and the kind of presence that was felt by this dynamic lady, especially her beautiful, warm smile and sense of humor.