In memory of Kathryn "Autumn Selene" Hopper - (1961-2009)
as submitted and written by "Saqra"
On the evening of Tuesday February 3 my very dear friend Kathryn passed away. She is survived by her friend, partner and husband James, and her treasured kitties Shashee, Soleil and Biji (Bijal).
People in our field may know Kathryn as a generous and supportive member of the dance community, but she had many roles in the larger world. Despite a constant fight with pain from back issues, and complications and health issues from a very powerful and damaging infection with Lyme disease, Kathryn maintained a very actively caring and cause-filled life that touched hundreds of thousands of people in many ways.
Whether it was working for the cause of women's safety, to combat a disease, or to advance the career of someone she believed in, Kathryn could concentrate her warm heart, organization skills and formidable brain power and make amazing progress towards her goals.
Her life included working on quite a number of really exceptional causes, but I'm going to focus for a moment on one very dear to her heart that so typifies her: her work with feline asthma.
While searching for her missing cat Raja, Kathryn stumbled onto an asthmatic adult cat in a shelter. From taking that kitty home she focused her energy on helping not just him, but the entire focus of Veterinary pharmacology and the administration of breathing medicine in cats. She and her husband and the now-famous asthmatic Fritz the Brave became pioneers in new technology testing and treatment methods, went on to create a multi award-winning internationally referenced web site for feline asthma, plus Kathryn received awards for her work from the Cat Writer's Association (an organization of professionals with a focus on publishing and broadcasting about felines) and was interviewed nationally on her work, and achieved her goal: bringing aid and comfort to hundreds of thousands of cats and pet owners through her efforts. Kathryn and James also managed to extend the joyful life of their treasured Fritz for many many years until he finally passed away in July of 2008. See http://www.fritzthebrave.com/
This type of energy and focus is what she brought to every task that she took on, filling many people's lives with assistance, hope, joy and a considerable amount of laughter through her usually wacky sense of humor. She will be sorely missed and I believe the world is a much colder place without her.
I will continue to remember so many things... belly dancing with her on a piece of carpet in the middle of a pigeon poop filled barn at a heavy equipment auction, singing a really horrible karaoke duet together, how delighted she was that people couldn't figure out she was able to tattoo her right arm herself because she was left handed... and I will forever continue to be unable to remove transplanted-Canadian Kathryn's "aboat," the occasional "serviette" and references to poutine from my own speech and thought from the massive number of hours I spent talking with her over the years. And I can still hear her animated voice on my voicemail saying "Hi, babe... this is Kathryn..."
I KNOW she knew she was loved.
Community Comments:
She could light up a room simply by stepping into it . . . make you smile simply by offering you her own smile . . . and fill your heart with joy, simply by hearing her laughter. My heart goes out to Saqra and James for this tragic loss, and to those who knew her and all of us who will miss her. How lucky are the Angels in Heaven - - for they hear her laughter and see her smile, as she dances her dance - for them. . . . .Zaina Hart
On behalf of Michael Beach, Geoff George and myself (Oberon), I would like to say how sad we are to hear of Kathryn's passing. We remember her joyful dancing at It's A Beautiful Pizza, also the times she stepped forward for the protection of our dance community - we'll just miss her being among us. James and Saqra - we're so sorry - please know that she leaves behind a community where she counted - 100% - no unique soul is ever replaceable and we are thinking about her and hope she knows we remember her warm light!
. . . . Emily Dickinson said: Dying is a wild night and a new road. Farewell for a while Kathryn may your new road be amazing!
"In spite of the pain Kathryn was experiencing from Lyme Disease, she still had time to think of others. She and James were instrumental in writing the Safety Precautions for Dancers Saqra featured in the Showcase bulletin, she also helped organize the talk given by the Portland Police Dept at IBP on Safety and had referrals to Women's Self Defense Classes. In her honor please remember how important this issue is to us all ~ Love you Kathryn, you are missed!!" . . .
. . . . D. Souki
