Catherine Anderson

Catherine Louise Anderson was born in Palo Alto, California on October 21, 1955 to Andrien Ely Anderson and Mary E. Epler Anderson. She was their youngest child, born on her sister Susan’s birthday. She had an older brother Allen. Catherine suffered with migraine headaches since a child, and recalled a fall where she hit her head on the fireplace at age four, wondering if this was the cause. Catherine was a sensitive, loyal person who, like her parents, was committed to “do things the right way”. She had great respect for her father who built their home, completing it when he was ill and nearing the end of his life.

Catherine was raised Catholic and attended Mass regularly through high school. When she was 17 she attended Palo Alto Quaker Meeting and became curious about Quakers. She didn’t understand why no children or teens were in Meeting, and disagreed with the concept of First Day School, believing the children should be in the meeting house during the meeting.

From a young age she loved having her hands in dirt, and later became an avid gardener and fruit tree grower. She was a member and former president of the California Rare Fruit Growers and shared the delicious jams and jellies she made. Her dream was to become a conservationist; however, life led her in other directions.

She began her college education at UC Davis where she studied geology. At that time she attended Davis Meeting; though not a member of the meeting, she was recording clerk when she was a junior in college! After graduating UC Davis she moved to Oakland for a job at a geotech firm in Emeryville.

She attended Berkeley Friends Meeting for over 40 years, becoming a member by convincement on January 30, 1980. Catherine was on the Adult Education Committee, where she initiated Quakerism and Bible classes, and in 1998 began teaching Introduction to Quakerism. She traveled to various Meetings throughout the state to teach this class, including at College Park Quarterly Meeting. She served as clerk of Berkeley Friends in 2000 and 2001.

Catherine loved folk music and playing guitar. She joined other folk musicians and very much enjoyed the time shared with music friends.

She began working for EBMUD, where she was the only female working in the field with the men. In 1988 she began getting a Masters degree in Environment Management at the University of San Francisco. In 2006 she became supervisor of six men who previously had been working alongside her.

Catherine was one of the organizers of the Long Range Planning Committee for the remodeling of the Meeting house and educational building. She believed that this remodel should be done with the best quality materials, and devoted countless hours to the committee over the next years. She contributed much of her time and personal attention to details, and was proud of the gardens she planted around the buildings. The meetinghouse stands as Catherine’s legacy.

She collected baskets much of her life, and as a way to deal with stress and the continuing migraines, she began making her own baskets, both from fabric wrapped clothesline and yarn wrapped coiled paper. These numerous baskets were a beautiful representation of her artistic abilities. She also was a skilled seamstress, making many of her clothes. She refurbished the pillows in the meeting house and made several new ones. Her beautiful gardens at her home in Berkeley were another of her many interests. She was an avid birder and traveled on birding trips to view many species.

Catherine loved to travel and went on several trips, including Zimbabwe, Puerto Rico and England, some by herself and many with a dear friend Jean. While her mother was nearing the end of her life, Catherine was diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer. Members of Berkeley Meeting took her to appointments and helped her with many needs during her illness. When the cancer was in remission she traveled with her friends from meeting; Linda Selph to Iceland and to the Scablands in eastern Washington state with Susie Stanley.

Catherine Louise Anderson, died peacefully at Bruns House inpatient hospice June 21, 2021, just before noon. Her brother Allen Anderson was with her. She is survived by Allen, his wife Tama Hochbaum, their children Ellis and Claire Anderson, Catherine’s sister Susan, her husband Armando, their children Elisabeth (married to Juan Paolo Martinez, daughter Alessandra), Robert Lopez (wife Vanessa, their five sons, Thomas, Adam, Patrick, Charles and Nicholas Lopez) and Margaret Lopez. Her cats Jasper and Leona found loving homes.