Katherine K. Worden

On Wednesday, December 4, 2013, Katherine Worden passed away peacefully at her home in Grants Pass, after a long illness. Katherine was 82 years old. Born on November 11, 1931, in Park City, Utah, to Russell A. Kidder and Mary Hillstrom, Katherine attended Park City Schools and business college in Salt Lake City, Utah. After passing a civil service examination, in the early 1950's, Katherine began working at Camp Roberts, California, where she was married. Katherine's three children were born in Salinas, California. Long an active member of the Catholic Church, Katherine began working at Moreland Notre Dame Academy in Watsonville, California, in 1963. For several years afterward, she also worked at the Ascension Catholic Church and Mora Central High School as a bookkeeper and receptionist. In 1970, Katherine began working as an assistant to the principal of Marello High School in Santa Cruz, California. When the high school closed in 1988, Katherine began work at Holy Eucharist Catholic Church, in Corralitos, California, as an assistant to the pastor, as well as managing various charitable efforts at the church, including its food bank. In 1996, Katherine Worden retired and eventually moved to Grants Pass, to be closer to her daughters, and especially her grandson Lincoln J. Weaver. During her retirement, Katherine was active in the Grants Pass community, volunteering at the Asante Family House, Start Making A Reader Today (SMART) reading program at Jerome Prairie Elementary School, reading scholarship applications at Rogue Community College (RCC) and the Strong Women exercise class of Oregon State University Extension. Katherine is survived by her son, Russell G. Worden and his wife Jan Lawrence, of Culver City, California; daughters Carol M. Worden and her husband Jesse Gutierrez, Lori J. Worden and her husband James Weaver, all of Grants Pass and her grandson, Lincoln J. Weaver of Beaverton, Oregon. n lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Strong Women Program at Oregon State University Extension, 215 Ringuette St., Grants Pass, OR 97527; or to the Asante Foundation for the Grants Pass Association of Realtors Family House Endowment, 500 S.W. Ramsey Ave., Grants Pass, OR 97527.