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Katherine Munter Obituary
September 25, 1965 - August 18, 2020
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Katherine A. Munter on August 18, 2020. Katherine was a San Francisco native, born on September 25, 1965 to Godfrey (deceased) and Helen K. Munter. Katherine was a kind and generous soul, with a wonderful wit, incredible intelligence, and love for all that was good in life.
Katherine succumbed to the cumulative toll of diabetes and related complications, taken from us much too young, she will live on in our hearts forever.
Katherine attended elementary school at St. Cecilia's, high school at Convent of the Sacred Heart, and graduated from Stanford University, after spending a very formative semester in France, with a degree in French and English Literature. Each institution contributed to the person she became, and gifted her with so many wonderful life-long friendships. After Stanford, Katherine moved to Washington D.C. to work as a Clerk for the United States Tax Court, a position which allowed her to travel to 40 of the 50 states and set her on the way to a career in the law. She returned to San Francisco to attend the University of California Hastings School of Law, which launched her on a long and proud career as an attorney first at Gordon & Rees and then at the Phillips Spallas & Angstadt law firms.
In addition to her law career, Katherine was devoted to her community and invested much of her personal time and resources in giving back. She was a former Commissioner of the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, and served on the boards of Catholic Charities and the Tel Hi Neighborhood Center. She was also an effective and active mentor to many young women looking to advance their professional careers.
In addition to her mother Helen, Katherine leaves her sisters Patricia (Jeff Loomans) and Helen (Jose Farran) and three loving and adoring nieces Katherine Loomans, Christina Farran and Alexandra Farran. Most significantly she leaves behind a wonderful and varied group of dear friends who will all miss her as terribly as her family.
Due to the restrictions related to COVID-19 in San Francisco at this time, private services were held. When appropriate we will gather as a larger group to celebrate Katherine's life.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Katherine Munter
Paul Mohun
September 2, 2025
Thinking of you and missing you today, my beautiful friend.
Tammy Albertsen
December 23, 2022
Having not been in touch for quite a while, I wondered what my friend of many years was up to lately. When I searched, I found this most upsetting news. While Katherine was at Gordon & Rees, we worked on many cases together. She was an absolute delight & an excellent attorney. I was always in awe of her as she frequently checked her levels right in the middle of depositions, as if it was nothing. She never let her condition affect her focus. She was the epitome of grace, always elevating the crowd of otherwise rowdy attorneys in our crazy cases. Though forever the height of professionalism, she was always ready for a giggle & fully participated in our ongoing passing notes of jokes/funny observations during our endless depos & hearings. We lunched together often, but I always wanted to spend more time together, a wish unfulfilled by our commitments elsewhere. I am truly, deeply sorry for her family & close friends to have to absorb this terrible loss: she spoke often to me of all of you & her respect & love for you. This photo is exactly as I remember her: beautiful, smiling. Always such fabulous hair & so well put together. This is a new blow to me. We all lost so many during the most frightening, early days of covid. I never imagined adding her to that list. I hate diabetes & am so sad about my friend.
Paul Mohun
September 27, 2020
With so many others I am grieving deeply the loss of my lifelong friend and trying to come to terms with the void left by her absence. Katherine wore her humanity and her faith on her sleeve. She endured difficult trials with grace and courage. The world is diminished without her charm, her irreplaceable smile, her wry humor, the twinkle in her eye, above all her compassion, so it’s ours to try to carry on and spread her example. Happy birthday, sweet Katherine. Godspeed and adieu. We miss you and carry you in our prayers.
Paul Mohun
September 27, 2020
With so many others I am grieving deeply the loss of my lifelong friend and trying to come to terms with the void left by her absence. Katherine wore her humanity and her faith on her sleeve. She endured difficult trials with grace and courage. The world is diminished without her charm, her irreplaceable smile, her wry humor, the twinkle in her eye, above all her compassion, so it’s ours to try to carry on and spread her example. Happy birthday, sweet Katherine. Godspeed and adieu. We miss you and carry you in our prayers.
Paul Mohun
September 27, 2020
With so many others I am grieving deeply the loss of my lifelong friend and trying to come to terms with the void left by her absence. Katherine wore her humanity and her faith on her sleeve. She endured difficult trials with grace and courage. The world is diminished without her charm, her irreplaceable smile, her wry humor, the twinkle in her eye, above all her compassion, so it’s ours to try to carry on and spread her example. Godspeed and adieu, sweet Katherine. We miss you and carry you in our prayers.
Darian Swig
September 25, 2020
Remembering my dear friend today on her birthday. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about her and miss her terribly. I miss her graciousness, Intellectual curiosity, intoxicating wet and, most importantly, I miss her Friendship. Rest in peace my dear friend. You touched my life in profound ways and I will always hold your memory in my heart.
Maureen Sullivan
September 14, 2020
Beautiful and funny. A real soul mate to my daughter. I loved her as a member of our family. We all cherished her wit and intelligence and faith. I know she is with the angels praying for all of us and enjoying the company of all the ones who loved her and were waiting for her presence to liven their days. How she is loved and missed!
Amy Phillips
September 14, 2020
Katherine was one of the most unique, gracious, humorous, fascinating, and generous individuals I have known. She was an important part of every visit I made to San Francisco and, without her there, San Francisco will never be the same for me. I will always miss her.
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