Doreen Antoinette Harden-Cato

In Loving Memory of Doreen Antoinette Harden-CatoMarch 14, 1949 – April 13, 2025
Doreen Antoinette Harden-Cato, mother, educator, advocate, and pillar of her community, passed away peacefully. She left behind a life marked by service, strength, and love. Her life's work impacted many, not only through her direct service to children and families, but also through the lasting systems of support and empowerment she helped build.
Born on March 14, 1949, in Detroit, Michigan to Luke Harden and Hazel Crank, Doreen was raised alongside her siblings Scheryl, Reginald, and Earlene. Her early education at Our Lady of Lourdes laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to learning, the arts, and spiritual grounding. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Art Education and Dance from Eastern Michigan University, where she also met her ex-husband, Barron Cato. Together, they had two children, Christina and Barron Jr., before moving to Bellevue, Washington-a transition that would become the launchpad for Doreen's expansive and transformative career.
Doreen's legacy is woven into every community she touched. In her decades of service across Washington State, she was a fierce advocate for youth, a tireless mentor, and a visionary leader. As an Education Advocate for ESD 113, she re-engaged students who had dropped out or been pushed out of school systems, guiding them toward diplomas, GEDs, and renewed hope. Her commitment to equity and opportunity was especially evident in her leadership as Executive Director of First Place, a school and social services program for low-income and homeless families in Seattle. There, she created safe havens and second chances for some of the most vulnerable children in the region.
Doreen's leadership extended across nonprofit and educational institutions. She was Fund Raising Director for Greater Seattle Market at United Way of King County and Executive Director of United Way Grays Harbor County, where she directed fund development and community planning to support community residents. As an Adjunct Professor at Antioch University Seattle, she inspired the next generation of leaders, teaching in the Bachelor of Arts Completion Program with her characteristic warmth, humor, and unshakeable belief in human potential.
Even in the later chapters of her life, Doreen remained deeply involved in community leadership. She served on the North Beach School District Board, helping guide district-wide policies and educational planning, and continued coaching, mentoring, and consulting. Whether as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in foster care, a doctoral scholar in Educational Leadership, or a trusted mentor to peers and students, she brought intelligence, compassion, and fierce conviction to every role.
But beyond her many accomplishments, Doreen will be remembered most for the way she made people feel-seen, valued, and capable of greatness. She believed in community as a verb, in love as action, and in the promise of every child. Her life's mission was not only to serve but also to uplift, guide with grace, and model what it means to live with purpose.
The family will honor her memory by spreading her ashes in Ocean Shores, Washington-her most beloved place and a source of deep peace and joy. In lieu of a formal memorial service, loved ones are invited to celebrate her in their own way: with laughter, music, movement, a shared meal, or acts of service-just as Doreen would have wanted.
She leaves behind a legacy that will ripple through generations. We are all better because she lived.