My former colleague and friend Kathy Haines passed away recently from complications related to diabetes and cancer. I will miss this dear person, her wise council, her wit, her intelligence and her quiet approach to life.

She was raised in the small Northern California town of Yreka along with a brother and her beloved sister, Pat. She attended California State University, Chico then started teaching and coaching at Chico High School in her early twenties, in 1963. She taught at Chico High School for 37 years.

Kathy was a pioneer. As an athlete she was witness to historic new opportunities for girls as participants on playing fields previously reserved only for boys. She was instrumental in implementing these changes at Chico high where she coached women’s basketball and softball, and served as the first female athletic director. I learned from her what life was like prior to and after Title lX, an important piece of history. Her keen insights and memory were valuable to those that followed her and she garnered respect for her experience.

She had a mental inventory of every piece of equipment in the gym and which nook or cranny it may be located. She knew “why” things were the way they were and “how” they got that way. One memory is when we came across long unused fencing equipment and she taught me enough so that I could unearth the long lost sabers and foils to teach a fencing unit. She also kindly corrected me about the difference between a softball glove and mitt, demonstrating her standard amused exasperation with subtle twinkle in her eye.

Her daily life was devoted to her beloved animals, specifically her dog, Opal, her family and her gardening. These were the main topic of focus and conversation when we visited: her eyes would light up with stories of her grand nephew, Michael, and his mother Angie.

After her retirement, Kathy was proud to have served as a member of the Grand Jury, a duty that was a great fit for her intellectual talent and common sense counsel. She frequently volunteered to drive neighbors on errands and help score for Chico High Track meets. Before her illness worsened, she was looking for new ways to serve her community. A devoted Catholic, she worshipped at church regularly. These were some of the things that mattered to her.

Kathy Haines was a gift to the communities in which she belonged. Her quiet strength, loyalty and friendship will be greatly missed.