Kathryn Grace Arnerich

March 19th, 1989 - Portland, Oregon

December 22, 2021 – Portland, Oregon

Writing this remembrance feels a bit like baring our tattered souls. No words and too many words colliding in our heads and hearts.

“words are like nets – we hope they’ll cover what we mean, but we know they can’t possibly hold that much joy, grief, or wonder” Jodie Picoult. ( Thanks for that Andrew! )

Bear with us as we try.

As the light on earth was expanding on December 22, after the longest night of the year, the constellation of stars in the winter sky danced and sparkled in concert with Kata’s invincible spirit. Her singular and well curated brand of stardust remains with all of us who loved her. She definitely left a gaping hole in many hearts on earth.

As much as we longed to hold onto that brilliant smile and ineffable energy, her work here was done. Someone sent an offer she could not refuse - including a joyous reunion with long lost family and friends and a new mission to ski, hike, swim, fly fish, schroom and bake her beautiful cakes forever more. Our Kata has taken leave of this revolving earth, and joined the moon she so loved, leaving the memories she generously shared, in this all too brief fragment of time.

Her Poppo (Tony) and Mushka (Chris) will desperately miss her along with her brothers (Nick , Luka, Andy) and sister (Mary) sister’s in law Sandra (Nick) and Jodie (Luka), nieces (Allie, Bella and Etta), nephews (Conor and Emilio), her beloved kitty Minerva and way way too many cousins, aunts and uncles to mention. Kata’s path showed the way with tenacity, openness, joy, humor, vulnerability, kindness and compassion –always holding her body steady in the changing wind. Cracking jokes all the way home.

Kata was like a firefly to children – they were drawn to her light, curiosity and radiant smile. She found purpose in teaching and mentoring special needs children or those with various challenging circumstances in their young lives. Though her degree was in Spanish Literature from the University of British Columbia – she leveraged her language skills to spark connections with students, teachers and families. She offered passion and focus to her students and colleagues while honoring everyone’s unique and special gifts.

Kata would so hope that we would share the best of ourselves through unexpected and spontaneous acts of kindness. We are working on causes dear to her heart and will be back shortly to add.

A memorial will be planned during the month of March with a date tbd and shared by mid-February.

Kata was a warrior in her 18 month battle with brain cancer, coinciding with the beginning of Covid 19, and ending with new tumors spontaneously arising in November of 2021.

We wish her magic and beauty in this new journey. We will all continue to hold her close in the extraordinary beauty that surrounds and comes through all of us. Kata will be shining it right back at us if we look closely enough.

A special expression of deep gratitude to the women who cradled and nurtured Kata in her journey home, Mama Lori, extraordinary nurses Nina and Alex, soul sisters Sandra, Jodie and Sarah H. So much love to you all and everyone who supported us throughout this transition.

Thanks to everyone for their patience as we worked to land in just the right place for causes that would honor Kata's life and turn our collective grief into action.

Please click the links below to spread the good stuff around and feel free to share.

Thank you for the support and love

The Arnerich Family

https://givingtogether.ucsf.edu/KataArnerich

Kata Arnerich Memorial Fund - Serendipity Center

Forever our love,

your CiCi and Tito