In Memoriam

Kathy Brazeau
‘Bentomat Queen’

Kathleen (Kathy) Brazeau of Palos Heights, Ill., passed away at age 59 on Sept. 15, 2016.

Kathy worked for CETCO in Hoffman Estates, Ill., for more than 22 years as a production/logistics/customer service coordinator. A well-known fixture and highly regarded within the geosynthetics industry, she was affectionately known as the “Bentomat Queen.” Kathy’s dogged determination and commitment to doing the job right was admired by all who came into contact with her.

She was diagnosed with a recurrence of breast cancer in March and died at home on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 15.

Kathy came into the geosynthetics industry during a period of tremendous growth of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) and she was instrumental in making this product an industry standard used in containment applications worldwide.

The shipping and handling side of the GCL business can be a challenge to coordinate as weather, regulations, site issues, and quality trucking availability all add up and can be a difficult, but important, aspect of an entire project. Kathy stood alone in her ability to handle these challenges with a smile on her face while keeping the best interests of her clients at heart. All who worked with Kathy Brazeau will miss her contagious good nature and unmatched Midwestern work ethic.

—submitted by friends of Kathy Brazeau