Catherine Ann Orsi

March 9, 1958 - March 14, 2016

Catherine Ann Orsi passed away peacefully with her family by her side on March 14, 2016, after fighting a brave five-year battle with brain cancer.

Although conceived in her father's native homeland of Italy, she was born in Corvallis on March 9, 1958. She was the first child of Vincenzo and Margaret (Atwood) Orsi. Catherine grew up in Albany and Corvallis. While attending Oregon State University, Catherine decided to pursue the profession of her late father and in 1983 received a degree in civil engineering.

Upon graduation, she married fellow engineer Phillip Wurst. After a few years, they divorced.

Catherine began her engineering career with the U.S. Forest Service in Ashland, Oregon. After several years, she accepted an engineering position in Seattle, Washington, working for City Light on landfill closure projects. She was one of the few women in the field at the time.

Through mutual friends, Catherine met and married Chelo Winfred Schal in 1995. They made several trips to Europe to visit his family in Germany, her family in Italy, and explore her maternal roots in Finland.

Catherine had a lifelong interest in scuba diving and was a volunteer diver at the Seattle Aquarium for over 18 years. Her other aquatic pursuits included sailing, kayaking, and swimming. She harbored a dream of becoming a mermaid.

During a personal illness, she became disenchanted with Western medicine and sought help through naturopathy. This journey led her to change careers in midlife and she enrolled at Bastyr University where she received her Doctor of Naturopathy Medicine in 2003. She opened her own practice in her beloved West Seattle and served hundreds of clients. Despite divorcing in 2005, Catherine and Chelo remained dear friends. Catherine maintained her medical practice until being stricken with cancer in the spring of 2011.

She was proud of her Italian-American heritage even obtaining dual Italian citizenship and volunteering for many years with the Festa Italiana celebration in Seattle, and remaining active in the Italian-American Association. She was a devoted member of her church, Plymouth United Church of Christ Congregational in Seattle.

After developing cancer and despite significant obstacles, Catherine filled the intervening years with activities, love and connections with people. Although never able to practice Naturopathy again, she continued her life of healing, connection, and advocacy through support groups, online communities and friends until her death. Dancing in her colorful outfits was one of her favorite activities. She was walking to a dance class on Dec. 22, 2015, when she fell, never able to walk again. And this is how we will remember her, dancing and grooving at the least provocation and in pure joy.

She is survived by her mother, Margaret; siblings Lewis (Kathy), Barbara and Stephen; nephew Nick; niece Kate; and her ex-husband, Chelo Winfred Schal.

She was preceded in death by her beloved father, Vincenzo, in 1972; her American grandparents, Hulda and Harlow Atwood; and her Italian grandparents, Luigi and Olimpia Orsi.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests offerings are directed to her remembrance project. People can donate on PayPal using catherineremembranceproject@gmail.com or mail checks to "Catherine Remembrance Project" care of Lew Orsi, 10617 N.E. 30th Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686.

A service will be at 1 p.m. April 30 at Plymouth United Church of Christ, Seattle.