Catherine (Cathy) Louise Durham Gunstone

Catherine (Cathy) Louise Durham Gunstone was born December 19, 1943, in Seattle, to Robert (Bob) and Marjorie Durham. Raised in Fauntleroy with older brother, David, and older and younger sisters, Gail and Jennifer, all were active in the Fauntleroy Community Church (which Bob designed) and the Y. This began Cathy’s church involvement and her love of camps.

She grew up attending Seabeck, Camp Coleman, Pilgrim Firs, and Camp Sealth. She went on to be on staff at Sealth in ‘63, ‘64, and ‘70 and earned a ten year plaque. (Daughter Kristi has one as well, and granddaughter Grace’s will join the collection next summer - taking eleven years thanks to COVID.)

Camps were not the only place that fueled her love of the outdoors. The Moser/Durham family property on Fox Island has been in the family since 1907. Cathy’s mother, Marj, spent her childhood summers at Fox Island and the love of that special corner of the sound has been passed down.

The highlights of Cathy’s undergrad at Colorado College were Tour Choir, the German House, and her Delta Gamma sisters. Her education continued with a Master’s degree from George Williams College in Camping Administration. She moved to Detroit to work at a Y camp. Joined by life-long friend Ginger Morse Bievenour, the travel bug took deep hold with a backpack, EurRail Pass, and several months in 1968.

She married Dale Lonheim in April of 1971 and moved to the east coast for his job with AYH. Together they led cycle trips on yellow Schwinn ten-speeds. Initially the office was in NYC and they lived in NJ. When the office moved to the Shenandoah valley of Virginia, so did they. While there Kristi (1973) and Scott (1974) were born. The desire to be closer to family brought them back to Seattle in 1976, living on Sylvester Road and joining Lake Burien Presbyterian Church.

LBPC was the center of much of Cathy’s life for the next 35 years. She sang in choir, led youth groups, including Deputation service trips, and chaperoned the ski bus. Additionally she served as an Elder, even attending the National General Assembly as a delegate. Cathy worked to facilitate ways lay people could use their gifts and was a founding volunteer of Hospitality House. Two different Marriage Encounter groups, Outriggers and Anchor Club, were significant, as well as Presbyterian Outdoor Ministries. The most significant part of her Lake Burien story is her and James (Jim) Gunstone finding a partnership that was recognized in marriage in March of 1987 and ended with his death in December of 2015.

When she was a single mom she worked several jobs to make ends meet and then became a travel agent, which is what she did until retiring. Eventually Cathy led group trips to locations such as Russia, China, and Greece. A childhood friend, Joen Wolfrem, had made a name for herself as a quilter and wanted to have quilt seminars on cruise ships. Partnering with Cathy, they began Quilt Celebration at Sea in the early 90s. After a couple years of going simply from a travel standpoint, Cathy took a quilt class and the rest most of you have seen proof of. Finally she retired from the travel industry to have more time to quilt - and when moving to Horizon House had to ensure her apartment included a quilt studio.

Cathy had been ready to sell their home, downsize, and enjoy a retirement community. After Jim died that is what she did, moving into Horizon House in May of 2016. She lived there until her death on September 18, 2024.

The last 15 years of her life she was back at a United Church of Christ church in the University District - UCUCC. She attended the yearly all church camp at Seabeck, where Grace joined her (and Jim) - first for one night when she was three, which quickly became full weeks for all of them. Cathy also went to Senior Retreats, sang in the choir, was part of a prayer circle, and planned two pilgrimages to Iona.

In December of 2023 she joined Kristi, Jonathan, and Grace in Malta. After enjoying a couple of weeks, including her 80th birthday, Cathy had a stroke the morning of December 23th. Her stroke impacted the left side of her body permanently, but she never lost her ability to speak. What followed, all with humor as well as challenges (medical, mindset, and logistical), were hospital stays, rehab, many transfers by ambulance (and airplanes to get back to Seattle), a move to assisted living, and coming to terms with what life after a stroke looked like.

September 11th, 2024 she experienced a second stroke and subsequently died on the 18th, peacefully, in her bed at Horizon House. As she was transitioning we talked about her being at choir practice with the angels soon - and then realizing that angels don’t need practice.

Survived by: David Durham, Gail Durham, Jennifer Murche, Peter & Brenda Gunstone (Jackie & Sabedin Etemi: the boys, Robin & Lucas Montoya), Eric (Dan, Shane) & Linda Gunstone, Kristi Lonheim & Jonathan Acker (Grace), Scott Lonheim & Lisa Short