Beloved daughter, sister, friend and SPECTACULAR auntie, Cathy ‘Cat’ passed away in Eugene, OR, surrounded by family, on January 29, 2023. Cathy was born on March 14, 1967 to Norman Hartland Bouton Jr. and Carolyn (Turner) Bouton, in San Francisco, CA.  She lived her first year in a front bedroom on San Francisco’s Hyde Street, quickly getting used to the clatter and clanging of the Cable Cars below.  When the young family moved to the serenity of the Ross Valley area of Marin County CA, her initial challenge was getting used to crawling on grass rather than carpet, as the grass tickled her tummy.  She soon got used to that, too!  

Growing up the oldest of three girls, Cathy was active on swim and ski teams and enjoyed the burgeoning music scene while a student at Kent Middle and Redwood High Schools.  With friends, she faithfully followed the Grateful Dead for years; her decorated envelopes for mail-in ticket orders and her beaded jewelry she sold at shows were early expressions of her artistic abilities.   Cathy earned a B.A. in Sociology at Colorado College including a year in Spain, inspired by two high-school summer service projects in Latin America with Amigos de las Americas.

Cathy was most at home outdoors, savoring the beauty and grandeur of mountains and the serenity of seas.  She was a beautiful telemark skier, tenacious mountain biker, and adventurous backpacker.  She worked with Marmot Mountain Works in Marin and eventually Telluride, CO.  During this time, Cathy became a Licensed Massage Therapist, a career she’d have for 20+ years.  Cathy moved to Oregon in 2005, spending her first year in Corvallis with her sister, Jen, and brother-in-law, Kevin.  Moving to Eugene, she worked in local spas and then established a private massage therapy business, eventually adding a Reiki certification.  She loved living in Eugene with its unique culture and community.  

Cathy had a profound love of music.  In addition to attending myriad concerts and festivals, she hosted a weekly World Music radio program in Telluride, sang with Inspirational Sounds Gospel Choir in Eugene, performed enthusiastic stage musicals and karaoke with friends, and worked concert crowd management in Eugene and Bend, OR.   She lived life on her terms, making friends wherever she went.  Though small in stature, her large vibrant spirit could fill a room.   « Cat » is greatly missed and fondly remembered by her nieces, nephew and virtually everyone who knew her as joyful, spunky, fun-loving, adventuresome, creative, a cat-lover with a great big infectious smile, and a dedicated weekly group bowler at Emerald Lanes.  She was a bright light on a dark day and a splash of fun in a drab world.  

Cathy overcame several demons in her life.  She was like a Cat with nine lives, her ninth being cruelly taken by colon cancer.  The family is grateful for the compassionate care they and Cathy received by mental health professionals throughout her life, including PeaceHealth and the Transitions Team as well as recent medical care providers at the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, Sacred Heart at Riverbend (Floor 7N), and ultimately the Pete Moore Hospice House.  Cathy is predeceased by her mother Carolyn Turner Bouton, grandparents Arlyn (Taylor) and John Pickett Turner Jr and Zella (Spradling) and Norman Hartland Bouton Sr.  She is survived by her father Norm and bonus mother Nancy Bouton, sisters Jennifer Bouton (Kevin Peters), Dianne Rhodes (Jay), bonus sisters Michele (Ray) Leese and Andrea (Kevin) Knott, nieces Addison and McKenzie Rhodes, nephew Gabriel Leese and nieces Bridgette and Lucia Knott.

A celebration of life will be held this Spring 2023. Please contact the family directly for details.  Remembrance donations may be sent “in honor of Cathy Bouton” to the CAHOOTS program of White Bird Clinic (whitebirdclinic.org) or to the Pete Moore Hospice House (cascadehealth.org)