Kathryn “Katie” Rathburn, 80, of Niwot passed away peacefully at home on June 8, 2014.
She was born on January 2, 1934 to George and Cora (Hansen) Hougard in Green Bay, WI. Known as “Katie” to all who knew her, she attended school in Green Bay and Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. She had selected teaching as a career early in life and graduated with a degree in English and Education. She was a member of Delta Gamma sorority.
She married Roger “Buz” Rathburn on August 4, 1956 in Green Bay and started her teaching career in North Hollywood, CA There she taught English at James Madison Junior High School. A daughter, Lisa, was born in 1958 which put Katie’s teaching career on hold for a spell. Buz and Katie moved to Boulder in 1959 to get back to four seasons and a smaller community. Son, Kirk, was born in 1960 and daughter, Sara, in 1962.
As the family got older, Katie returned to teaching and spent twenty years teaching 8th and 9th grade English at Southern Hills Junior High (now a middle school). She was a very dedicated and loving teacher. In those twenty years, she touched the lives, heads and hearts of several thousand students who passed through her classroom. Many have come back to thank her for the positive impact she had on their lives.
She is survived by her husband, Buz, children Lisa Solder (David), Kirk Rathburn (Tara), Sara Rathburn (Jim Finley), foster daughter Michelle Chalmers (Jill Rusche) and grandchildren Pierson Leonard, Benjamin Solder, Michael Solder, Canace Finley, Sawyer Finley, Cory Rathburn, Austin Rathburn and Kira Rathburn. She is also survived by her brother Bob (Karen), sister Beverly and many nieces and nephews. She loved all of her family dearly and will be greatly missed.
Katie was very proud of her Danish heritage as all of her grandparents had immigrated from Denmark. She and Buz visited Denmark several times and she maintained regular contact and a loving relationship with her many Danish cousins. She often referred to herself as the “Great Dane”.
Buz and Katie lived in south Boulder for many years and were members of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church. They moved to Niwot in 1997. Katie was also a member of Chapter CZ of PEO, a women’s organization, and a former member of the local Selective Service Board. In her long journey of fighting cancer, church members, PEO sisters and her multitude of friends offered their prayers, meals, visits and general support which gave her great strength. Katie’s family wants to express their sincere gratitude to everyone for your friendship and kindness.
To honor Katie’s boundless spirit, a memorial service will be held on June 21 at 2:00 pm at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 3485 Stanford Ct in south Boulder. All are welcome.
Though she loved flowers, donations in her honor can be made to the Autism Society of America, Ampersand Families (ampersandfamilies.org), or the cancer research organization of your choice.
She was born on January 2, 1934 to George and Cora (Hansen) Hougard in Green Bay, WI. Known as “Katie” to all who knew her, she attended school in Green Bay and Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. She had selected teaching as a career early in life and graduated with a degree in English and Education. She was a member of Delta Gamma sorority.
She married Roger “Buz” Rathburn on August 4, 1956 in Green Bay and started her teaching career in North Hollywood, CA There she taught English at James Madison Junior High School. A daughter, Lisa, was born in 1958 which put Katie’s teaching career on hold for a spell. Buz and Katie moved to Boulder in 1959 to get back to four seasons and a smaller community. Son, Kirk, was born in 1960 and daughter, Sara, in 1962.
As the family got older, Katie returned to teaching and spent twenty years teaching 8th and 9th grade English at Southern Hills Junior High (now a middle school). She was a very dedicated and loving teacher. In those twenty years, she touched the lives, heads and hearts of several thousand students who passed through her classroom. Many have come back to thank her for the positive impact she had on their lives.
She is survived by her husband, Buz, children Lisa Solder (David), Kirk Rathburn (Tara), Sara Rathburn (Jim Finley), foster daughter Michelle Chalmers (Jill Rusche) and grandchildren Pierson Leonard, Benjamin Solder, Michael Solder, Canace Finley, Sawyer Finley, Cory Rathburn, Austin Rathburn and Kira Rathburn. She is also survived by her brother Bob (Karen), sister Beverly and many nieces and nephews. She loved all of her family dearly and will be greatly missed.
Katie was very proud of her Danish heritage as all of her grandparents had immigrated from Denmark. She and Buz visited Denmark several times and she maintained regular contact and a loving relationship with her many Danish cousins. She often referred to herself as the “Great Dane”.
Buz and Katie lived in south Boulder for many years and were members of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church. They moved to Niwot in 1997. Katie was also a member of Chapter CZ of PEO, a women’s organization, and a former member of the local Selective Service Board. In her long journey of fighting cancer, church members, PEO sisters and her multitude of friends offered their prayers, meals, visits and general support which gave her great strength. Katie’s family wants to express their sincere gratitude to everyone for your friendship and kindness.
To honor Katie’s boundless spirit, a memorial service will be held on June 21 at 2:00 pm at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 3485 Stanford Ct in south Boulder. All are welcome.
Though she loved flowers, donations in her honor can be made to the Autism Society of America, Ampersand Families (ampersandfamilies.org), or the cancer research organization of your choice.
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