Kathleen Faust

1949 - 2025

Kathleen (Katra) Marie Faust, born June 1, 1949, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2025 at Covenant Living in Keene, NH, after a courageous journey with Alzheimer's disease.

Born to Helen Peterson Faust and Kenneth Faust, Katra was raised in Jamestown, New York, alongside her beloved siblings: older brother Kenny Faust, younger sister Karen Holcomb, and younger brother Carrie Faust, who passed away in 2022. Even as she charted her own path, the roots of her early life-shaped by hard work, strength of character, and fierce determination-formed the foundation of the person she became.

Katra lived with her whole heart. She found space for joy and laughter even in difficult times, and her spontaneity kept life full of surprise and delight. She was never one to decline a party-or a dance floor-and her sense of adventure made her brave in ways both big and small. She saw the good in people, forgave freely, and held space for others to be exactly who they were. Her courage, curiosity, and refusal to play it safe shaped a life that was bold, open, and unapologetically her own.

In the early 1980s, Katra met Neil Madow, moved to Brattleboro, Vermont, and became a part of his family with his three children. She soon joined Silver Forest, the jewelry company now based in Rockingham. Over the next three decades, she played an integral role in building and scaling the business. As Human Resources Director, she brought her training as a therapist into the workplace, championing honest communication, non-hierarchical teams, and putting people before profit. Her leadership helped cultivate a company culture rooted in respect and compassion.

She brought warmth and wit to the stage as an actress, performing one-woman shows in New York City and Brattleboro, VT. In Niagara Falls, NY, she led drama therapy groups for individuals living with severe mental illness-using her creative gifts to inspire healing and connection.

In her 50s, Katra returned to school and earned a master's degree in marriage and family therapy from Antioch University. She opened a private practice in Westminster West, where she offered deep listening, perspective, and support to clients navigating life's hardest moments.

Katra found a true partner and fellow adventurer in her second husband, Marvin Resnikoff. They married in a tent on the lawn in Westminster West, serenaded by a mariachi band. Their relationship was grounded in love, shared values, and a commitment to activism and exploration. They lived in Westminster West for 18 years before moving to Brattleboro for 6 years and more recently to Covenant Living in Keene, New Hampshire. Together, they traveled the world by boat, train, airplane, and even camel (in India). In their 24 years together, they often visited to Boston, New York and Montreal, even crossing Canada by train. They spent summers on Cape Cod and Monhegan Island, Maine. No matter how far they roamed, her heart always brought her back to her favorite city: New Orleans.

She is deeply missed by Marvin; her four children-Ben Madow, Sarah Cota, Rachel Paranjpye, and Gena Madow-and her eight cherished grandchildren: Sam and Max Madow, Davis and Molly Cota, Sachin and Avi Paranjpye, and Oliver and Maeve Samson. But Katra's family extended far beyond blood-she built a wide and loving circle that included her daughter- and sons-in-law, her stepchildren, her circle of close girlfriends, neighbors, and longtime friends who felt like family.

Even on her hardest days, Katra brought light and laughter to those around her. Her presence had a way of lifting spirits, softening tension, and reminding people of the joy and beauty that could still be found.

Her generosity-of spirit, of resources, and of time-was a defining trait. Whether welcoming someone new to town, sharing a meal, or quietly helping a friend through a rough patch, she gave freely and without judgment or fanfare.

She became a member of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro later in life, drawn to its warmth, values, and sense of community. A deeply spiritual person, Katra found peace and connection there-in soul and in fellowship. It became a place where she could reflect, grow, and give back in quiet and meaningful ways.

A celebration of life will be held to honor her vibrant spirit. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Michael's Episcopal Church in her memory.

We will carry her love, her laughter, and her legacy forward, always.