Catherine Rose Salazar passed away unexpectedly on April 24, 2022. Catherine was born on May 17, 1962, in San Francisco, CA to Benjamin Salazar and Barbara Peterson. Catherine had a love of world cultures and geography, which stemmed from her path through life. Catherine spent time and lived in many destinations throughout the Pacific including Guam, Japan, and the Philippines. Catherine also lived much of her life in California. There, she became captivated by the beauty of California’s famed Sierra Nevada mountains and her favorite National Park: Yosemite. It was through this park that she instilled in her children a continuing love for nature and conservation.
To Catherine, food was much more than just something to eat. With her incredible talent and limitless creativity in the kitchen, Catherine could touch the lives and warm the hearts of all who were lucky enough to sit at her table. She took immense pride in sharing her passion for world cuisine with all her family, friends, and loved ones.
Catherine was well-known for her for inexhaustible pursuit of knowledge. She was dedicated to sharing this passion with her children Josh, Allie and Conan, all of whom graduated from Purdue University. She was a gifted artist with a unique talent as a makeup artist and esthetician. Harnessing this talent, Catherine worked in television and provided freelance services for countless fashion models, weddings, and special occasions. In later life, Catherine became a dedicated advocate for social equality, and passionately lobbied for issues throughout her community. Prior to her untimely passing, she enjoyed reconnecting with the ocean in coastal destinations like Miami and Los Angeles. It was there that she could be seen enjoying the sun with a book in her hand and her feet in the sand.
Catherine was a proud mother of 3 and grandmother to 4, all of whom called her Lola. While her presence will be missed, her spirit and love will live on. She will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with her immediate family. Catherine is preceded in death by her mother Barbara Philippi and sister Janine Stephens. She is survived by her father Benjamin (Cora), son Josh (Jessica), daughter Alexandra (Kyle), son Conan (Emily), sister Lorraine, brother Ben, sister Carolyn, and brother Raymond.