Kara Anglin Cathcart

Kara's family,
I just found this on social media and my heart is in pieces. For Kara's family, and mostly her parents and daughter. I met Kara when her and my son, Seth, became friends in Cirque Lodge. There is nothing more painful than losing someone, not only young, but that has so much to live for. My sincere, deepest, condolences.
Terri Berg

A year out from Kara's death, the loss is still tremendous. This year I've looked back on photos from class trips, read over our old text messages trying to schedule a dinner to meet Sofie just before COVID, listened to recordings of her stories, and mulled over what there is to say and how to say it.

I met Kara when I joined her class at Poly in 6th grade and knew immediately she was one of the cool kids. While that never changed, I did get to know her more personally in high school, when we car-pooled to school before we all got our licenses. That's how I learned that Kara was a cool and good person, and she gave me a very honest friendship during a time when high school kids could be particularly mean or deceptive instead. I am to this day and will remain grateful for her acceptance and for helping me see my value as a human in the world--not simply as a role in a school-aged drama.

Not many words can truly meet Kara's loss or ours as well. May her memory be a blessing.

I am very late to this guest book, but I wanted to share how sad I was to hear of Kara's death. While we only caught up a few times since our years at Poly, we were close in 2nd and 3rd grade, and I have fond memories (and more than a few photos!) of the time we spent together as kids. It is a tragedy that she died so young, and my deepest condolences go out to her family.

What a shock to learn of Kara's transition of life. She and our younger daughter Emily were very close friends at Poly. Their lives have grown apart since graduating in 2004. Please include Roger and me in her Celebration of Life.

I met Kara when she was in Pre-K at Polytechic School, from where she graduated from high school. Or, maybe earlier, when she passed by my classroom with her mom, taking Ben to his classroom. She would peek in my door and come inside to say hi, knowing that I had colorful stickers with Spanish on them, which of course she would wLk out with. Looking at the picture of her adored Sofia, I see the same eyes that looked at me with expectation so long ago. She kept coming for those stickers and a chat, always excited and vivacious, curious, warm, and loving during lower school, after she was my student in middle school, and all through the upper school. Her smile, as they say, illuminated a room. Kara was generous of spirit, introspective, extroverted, intelligent and caring. She loved her time as a nurse in India; everything she did there, and the people she met, matched her sensibilities perfectly. What do I remember that makes me smile? Every minute spent with her made me smile.

It is with profound sadness that I mourn Kara, who lived, and loved, intensely; who was goodness and light, and whom we were so very lucky to know. May she rest in peace.

Hello Wynne, Ben, Joan, and Mike,

I have the most wonderful memories of Kara as a little girl. Kara lit up the room with her smile and precocious nature. Kara was so curious to understand the world and always offered her unique take on things. I recall lots of costumes and jokes and so much laughter with her whenever I came over to hang out with Wynne or when I babysat. And I remember her being so much fun at Fallen Leaf Lake.

This is very sad, terrible news. I am holding all of you in my heart.

Love,
Joanna Smith Swerdlow

In loving memory of Kara Cathcart, who loved her daughter Sofie, her parents, family members, friends and animals.
To her and all the sensitive, caring souls who struggle in this difficult world and fight daily to be strong in the darkness, may you know that you matter and will always hold a place in our hearts.