Obituary: Katharine Asoian
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March 2, 1952 – November 17, 2023
It is with an incomprehensible sense of loss that we announce the passing of Katharine Elizabeth Asoian of Edwards, Colorado. Kate passed early on November 17th surrounded by her loved ones. She had battled particularly aggressive dementia-related health issues for the past few years. Kate was 71 years old.
Kate was born Katharine Elizabeth Riccardi on March 2, 1952 in Winchester, Massachusetts. She spent her childhood in Woburn, Massachusetts. Kate attended collage at Lowell Technological Institiute (LTI), graduating in 1975 with a BS in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She was one of only 13 woman on campus her freshman year. She met her husband Mark, at LTI, on the way to the first LTI ski race of the 71/72 season. They were married on February 27, 1977. Kate and Mark moved to Colorado in July of 1979, their move triggered by a two week ski vacation to Steamboat and Vail in February of that year. Kate was a long time resident of Eagle County, beginning her move to the area in 1988. She lived in her home in Edwards for almost 27 years.
Kate worked in the ski industry for many years in a number of positions including retail sales, soft goods buyer, wholesale sales and for many years at Ski Club Vail as executive assistant while her sons competed for the club. She also volunteered for more than a dozen years as a mountain host on Vail Mountain. Kate spent the last 20 years of her career as a landscape specialist planting some of the most beautiful annual and perenial beds in the valley. She was truly an artist with flowers.
As much as she loved skiing, perhaps she loved her road bike more. That said, Kate was also an avid mountain biker, competeing for a number of years in the town race series as well as in a number of NORBA races within the state.
She leaves behind her greatest love, her family, husband Mark Asoian, children Nicholas Asoian, Nathan (Julia) Asoian, and grandson Tevan Asoian. She also leaves behind sister Jane (William) Shaughnessy of Ashby, Massachusetts. A memorial will be planned at a later date in the Spring.
