Kathleen Regina (Sivulich) Loughney, 70, passed away with her daughters by her side Wednesday, May 13, 2020, because of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Kathleen was born on a rare snowy night on March 30, 1950, to Richard M. and Mary (Mooney) Loughney, in Tacoma. She was the fifth of 10 children.
She moved with her family to Lewiston in 1958, where she attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School and graduated with the Class of 1968 from Lewiston Senior High.
Following her graduation, she enrolled in Lewis-Clark State College and earned her associate degree in nursing. Upon graduation, she married Gerald “Jerry” Sivulich. They had two daughters, Monica Sivulich Brower and Meghan Sivulich Kemper. Kathleen and Jerry later divorced.
Kathleen was an exceptional R.N. and enjoyed a successful 40 year career in which she held a variety of leadership positions. While working with Dr. Neher in Jerome, Idaho, she enrolled at the University of North Dakota College of Medicine and became one of the first certified nurse practitioners in Idaho. Kathleen practiced at Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls from 1977 to 1983 in emergency and critical care nursing and as the assistant director of nursing services. In 1983, she moved to Ogden, Utah, then to Salt Lake City to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Utah, where she excelled in critical care nursing.
Her career took her to Olympia Regional Medical Center in Olympia as the intensive care manager. From there, she returned to Idaho as the director of nursing services at Moritz Community Hospital in Sun Valley. In 1990, she had the opportunity to become the administrative director at the new Southern Idaho Regional Cancer Center at Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls.
In 2000, she was delighted to return to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. She worked as director of patient care services at Tri-State Memorial Hospital. In 2002, she returned to the Sun Valley area as the director of patient care services at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center in Ketchum, Idaho. Her final years of her career were spent at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Regional Medical Center as an R.N. case manager, where she retired early because of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Kathleen was blessed with a quick wit and lively sense of humor enjoyed by her parents, siblings, family and friends who appreciated her ability to keep a light heart. She enjoyed camping, animals and voraciously reading about history and science. Her profound love of music led her to study voice all through school and she sang at many weddings, funerals and festive occasions throughout the years.
Her daughters brought her great happiness and pride, especially for their dedication to parenting. She considered it a privilege to be around her grandchildren, whom she loved dearly. She was delighted with their studious habits, musical skills and sense of fun and adventure. Kathleen enjoyed traveling, especially with her dear high school friends, who together took several trips over the years so they could catch up, share stories, and continue the camaraderie that began when they were all sophomores.
She is survived by her daughters, Monica (Ryan) Brower, and their daughters, Payton Galbraith, Ziah and Breckyn Brower, of Boise; Meghan (Michael) Kemper and their children, Emerson and Noah, of Kimberly, Idaho; siblings Matthew (Linda) Loughney, of Payette, Patrick (Caroline) Loughney, of Rochester, N.Y., Timothy (Carolyn) Loughney, of Pullman, Bridget Loughney, of Fountain Inn, S.C., Daniel (Lynn) Loughney, of Lake Charles, La., Eileen Loughney, of Clarkston, Monica (Michael) White, of Boise, Richard (Liz) Loughney, of Portland, Ore., and Rosemary (Tom) Reinhardt, of Cascade, Idaho; 19 nieces and nephews; and 20 great-nieces and great-nephews.
Her loving parents, Richard and Mary Loughney, preceded Kathleen in death.
A Roman Catholic Mass to celebrate Kathleen’s life will be planned at St. John’s Cathedral in Boise as soon as COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. The family is grateful to the staff at the Willows Care Center in Blackfoot, Idaho, for their selfless and highly professional care of our beloved Kathleen. Donations may be made to the Idaho Alzheimer Association or to the Lewis-Clark State College nursing program in her name.
