Cathy grew up in Indio, Calif., the first child of Nolan and Leota Derrick Richter. After graduating in 1955 from Coachella Valley Union High School, Cathy attended San Diego State University. In 1957, she married and moved to Barstow, Calif., where her three children were born.
In Barstow, Cathy found that volunteering was great fun. She became a member, and later president, of the Barstow Junior Women’s Club, Jaycettes, and Montara PTA. In 1966, Cathy was named in the publication “Outstanding Women in America.”
Her family moved to Highland, Calif., in 1969 where, in 1972, her oldest daughter, Diana, died of cancer. Cathy and her husband divorced the next year.
In 1973, Cathy moved back to San Diego. She worked for Bank of America, at various branch locations, spanning a 25-year career.
After four wonderful years of San Diego fun, she met and married Ralph Priem in 1977. Her life, and that of her children, got even better! She gained three beautiful daughters, two sons-in-law and adorable granchildren.
In 1992, Ralph and Cathy moved to Idyllwild, Calif., where they were, true to form, actively involved in the community. They helped start the Idyllwild Jazz Festival, with the Woods, Carlsons and Marshall Hawkins, and the Summer Concert Series. Cathy was president of the Idyllwild Quilters, where she created beautiful works of art, and was also the president of Rotary Anns.
In 2002, Cathy and Ralph said good-bye to the mountains and moved to Hemet, Calif. Cathy joined and became the president of The Assistance League and re-started the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) group at the Church of the Good Shepherd. This past August, Cathy was presented the Outstanding Service Award by the Rotary Club of Hemet Sunrise, “for many years of unwavering service to our community and Rotary.” The plaque read, “Your leadership and inspiration have made a difference for many people in this world.”
Cathy is survived by her loving husband, Ralph; mother, Leota Richter; sisters, Ginger Hansen and Dianne Diehl; son, Kenneth Baar; daughters, Jana Manning, Lee Ann Zeulner, Leslie Blanche and Lauren Weaver; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 10, at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hemet.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Cathy’s name be made to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, 1954 Cotner Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025.