Catherine Coffin Senungetuk, 57, of Anchorage, died peacefully with family beside her on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010, after a five-year bout with breast cancer.
A celebration of Catherine's life will be in Anchorage at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Alaska Native Lutheran Church. A reception will follow at the Out North Contemporary Art House. Catherine was an accomplished woman, a compassionate friend, partner, artist and school nurse.
Hers is a story of strength, grace, faith and hope, with the last five months being a time of reflection and gratitude for her life, friends and love of her husband, Joe.
After extensive surgery in July to treat damage caused by the cancer, Catherine experienced what typically happens after someone passes on -- an outpouring of love, gratitude and friendship from many of those whom she had touched during her life. Catherine and Joe were uplifted by a flood of love and strength from friends near and far.
Catherine was also blessed by the opportunity to share a retrospective of her art. Catherine's show, "The Color of Life," opened Friday night, Dec. 17, at Out North Contemporary Art House and runs through Jan. 16. After hearing the news of its glorious attendance and reception, she transitioned just hours later into the loving arms of her Savior.
Catherine was grateful for the prayers sent her way from all over the world. This heavenly energy buoyed her faith and helped to give her more time to be with loved ones, to watch the birds and to pick more blueberries.
Born May 21, 1953, in Los Angeles, Catherine grew up in Pasadena and Newport Beach. Her love of calligraphy and art started early, with the ocean being a common theme. She was inspired by her uncle, Frank Hamilton, among others.
In 1974, she graduated from Lewis & Clark with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art. In 1975, she married Robert Doss Jr. and headed to Alaska, where she opened a graphic design business and continued to pursue her art. The marriage ended in 1980, and in 1987, she married her soul mate, Joe Senungetuk.
Catherine studied with a variety of well-regarded artists including printmakers Misch Kohn, Toshi Yoshida and Atelier Lacouriere (Paris); calligraphers Rahael Boguslav, Hella Basu, Karlgeorg Hoeffer and Charles Lehman; writer and teacher Kim Stafford; The New York Experimental Glass Workshop; and the potter Yukio Yamamoto. She received multiple grants from the Alaska State Council of the Arts.
In 1996, Catherine graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. In 1997, she integrated her art with nursing by creating the "Art Cart," a rolling art studio at The Children's Hospital at Providence to allow children to express themselves through art while dealing with illness.
She expressed her passion for nursing in Anchorage schools including Chester Valley and North Star elementary schools. She loved her students, teachers and staff. Her honors include the Helene Fuld Fellow, Sigma Theta Tau, and the National Collegiate Nursing Award.
Cate enjoyed the teaching and learning process. She was an excellent listener and shared her knowledge and joy readily with friends and strangers. Through her art, Catherine shared with us a deep love of nature and the colors around us. Cate chose doctors and nurse friends to work with her treatment plans and served as a ready counselor to others with cancer. Catherine's laugh and smile will be greatly missed.
Catherine is survived by her husband, Joe, and his children, whom she dearly loved, William of Eagle River and Jenny (Dave Kuner) and grandchildren, Violet, Silas and Hazel of Evanston, Ill.; the extended Senungetuk family; her brother, Chris (Donna) Coffin; and nephews, Alex, Stephen and William of Chicago; cousins, Jeff Hamilton and Jennifer Wray; and godmother Carol Richards of Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Catherine was predeceased by her parents, Grace and George H. Coffin III, who lived in Newport Beach, Calif.
In lieu of flowers, please offer a donation in Catherine's memory to a charity of your choice. For a list of some of Catherine's favorite organizations, or to leave a personal message, please visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/catherinesenungetuk.
Visit the online memorial at legacy.com.