Kristina Lizanne Ewing (nee Thalacker) was born in Bellingham Washington, and grew up in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. She graduated from Friday Harbor High School in 1992 and received a BA (political science and government) from Eastern Washington University in 1996, and a J.D. (Law) from Willamette University in 1999.

Kristina joined the Washington State Bar in 2000, had a family law practice in Friday Harbor (2000-2003), and then was an associate attorney at firms in Auburn, Burien and Tacoma. She married the love of her life, Patrick, on June 19, 2010, and moved to Victoria, where she retired from legal practice, joining Stevenson Luchies and Legh (SLL) as a legal assistant.

Because she loved to help others, Kiwanis was a big part of her life, starting in high school. She served in Key Club and in Circle K, where she first met her husband Patrick. She belonged to Friday Harbor, Renton and Cascadia Kiwanis clubs and served as President of Oak Bay in 2016-17. She toured the Pacific Northwest as First Lady in 2009-10 when Patrick was governor and toured the world when he served on the international board in 2013-16.

Kristina had a spark that drew people to her, and she truly listened to and cared about the people she met. Friends, coworkers, Kiwanis and Junior League members. She touched so many lives, and will be remembered fondly by all who met her.

Kristina loved her life, and one of her joys was telling her epic love story. Tragically, complications from scleroderma ended that story far too soon. She leaves behind husband Patrick Ewing; parents John and Vicky Thalacker; sister Tanya Thalacker; in-laws John and Lynne Ewing; her beloved pets Target, Onyx, and Elton; and friends on five continents.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, where she married Patrick: on Mt. Tolmie in Victoria British Columbia, overlooking San Juan Island.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada (www.kfcdn.org) or the Kiwanis Children’s Fund (www.kiwanis.org/foundation).