Obituary for Katrina L. Salem
If in fact the “rainbow bridge” often referenced as the canine link between this world and dog heaven actually exists, then it’s fair to assume those pups who are lucky enough to cross it at the very least get a preview of their future from a glimpse of Katrina Salem’s home.
Katrina Louise Salem, 56, passed away April 20, 2022 surrounded by friends and family.
She loved dogs, all dogs, in an unqualified way that, ironically, only dogs themselves are capable of.
And she loved her family. God, she loved her family, warts and all. She did so selflessly, always putting others needs and desires ahead of her own. In Katrina’s world, family came first. Period.
Katrina was born to Larry and Anita Salem on May 11, 1965 in Dodge City Kansas. The first of two daughters, “Kat” as she was known to her Dodge City Senior High School friends, graduated in ’83 and led the league in fun, a self-appointed social director if you will. Gainfully employed as a Can-Can dancer at the Boothill Museum during her high school years, she went on to major in accounting at the University of Kansas. Following college, she signed on with PriceWaterhouseCoopers and began a distinguished 34 year career that started in Kansas City and ended in Denver, achieving a professional and personal goal by making Partner in 2000 and serving in a variety of roles including overseeing the KSO practice in Tampa (known in certain circles as the Katrina Salem Organization) and Market Managing Partner in Denver and Salt Lake City. Katrina eagerly sought new challenges beyond signing a tax return, leading more recently to accepting the position of PWC’s Chief Learning Officer, a job she relished, coining the term “Infinite Learning” and embracing a team of associates who could think outside the box. In 2013 she was named one of the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business and over the years served on advisory boards of non-profits including Mile Hi United Way and the Denver Chamber of Commerce.
In short, she was born to lead.
But the work she was most proud of and committed to supporting was empowering women in the workplace. While she probably couldn’t tell you who Gloria Steinem was, beyond simply talking about her female peers achieving their ambitions, she participated in the process. Just ask the women with whom she shared offices and dreams.
She was set to retire in June.
Along the way, she and Jon met, married and built a life that included the birth of her “baby girl” Myriah in 1999. Settling in Golden, she made it abundantly clear from the get-go that Myriah and the dogs were “up here” and Jon was just a small step below. He was ok with that. Oh, and that sense of humor. Go ahead and laugh with her or even at her. Just laugh.
She loved to travel and did so with Myriah and Jon to exotic locales like Africa, Thailand, Hawaii and Europe and to not so exotic locales like Baraboo, Cimarron, and Colorado Springs. Her passion for scuba diving took her to the destinations in travel brochures that you dream of like Fiji, Belize, Indonesia, and Cozumel with her accountant pals, Diane, Laura and Melanie, known collectively as the Dive Girls.
She was also for most of her adult life an avid skier, enjoying many trips in Colorado with Jon and Myriah. She scoffed at the notion that perhaps she should throw the occasional turn in there to, you know, maybe slow down a bit. Not her style.
Surprisingly, or maybe not in Katrina’s case, she was gifted with a beautiful creative streak as well, from sketching and painting birds (hummingbirds were a favorite) to clever and heartfelt writing, especially about her dogs and Myriah.
She was a fiercely dedicated mom to Myriah, a deeply loving wife to Jon, a staunch protector and provider for her family in Kansas, a supporter and friend to Jon’s three daughters, Strawberry, Amanda, and Jasmin, an advocate for those with less, a true partner at PWC, and has left an unimaginable hole in our hearts.
She wrote “I have long been okay with the impermanence of life. I believe there are other places our souls can flourish and I have done much work in this world.”
Yes she has.
She is survived by her husband Jon, her daughter Myriah Pitt, her mother and father Anita and Larry Salem, her sister Anissa (Mark) Durham, aunts Gloria (Wayne) Barngrover and Marla (Alan) Griffin, a bevy of cousins, nephews and nieces, her step-daughters Strawberry Windholz, Amanda (Brant) Gleaton, and Jasmin Pitt, her step-grandchildren Paige, Jameson, Scarlett and Gordon and her faithful canine companions, Buddy and Deuce.
Katrina was adamant that she be cremated and her ashes scattered with those of her dogs on top of North Table Mountain above her house in Golden, Colorado. That ceremony and celebration of her life will occur in the coming months. Details forthcoming.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Katrina’s name to Foothills Animal Shelter www.foothillsanimalshelter.org or call Becca Clark at 720-235-3332
Katrina Louise Salem, 56, passed away April 20, 2022 surrounded by friends and family.
She loved dogs, all dogs, in an unqualified way that, ironically, only dogs themselves are capable of.
And she loved her family. God, she loved her family, warts and all. She did so selflessly, always putting others needs and desires ahead of her own. In Katrina’s world, family came first. Period.
Katrina was born to Larry and Anita Salem on May 11, 1965 in Dodge City Kansas. The first of two daughters, “Kat” as she was known to her Dodge City Senior High School friends, graduated in ’83 and led the league in fun, a self-appointed social director if you will. Gainfully employed as a Can-Can dancer at the Boothill Museum during her high school years, she went on to major in accounting at the University of Kansas. Following college, she signed on with PriceWaterhouseCoopers and began a distinguished 34 year career that started in Kansas City and ended in Denver, achieving a professional and personal goal by making Partner in 2000 and serving in a variety of roles including overseeing the KSO practice in Tampa (known in certain circles as the Katrina Salem Organization) and Market Managing Partner in Denver and Salt Lake City. Katrina eagerly sought new challenges beyond signing a tax return, leading more recently to accepting the position of PWC’s Chief Learning Officer, a job she relished, coining the term “Infinite Learning” and embracing a team of associates who could think outside the box. In 2013 she was named one of the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business and over the years served on advisory boards of non-profits including Mile Hi United Way and the Denver Chamber of Commerce.
In short, she was born to lead.
But the work she was most proud of and committed to supporting was empowering women in the workplace. While she probably couldn’t tell you who Gloria Steinem was, beyond simply talking about her female peers achieving their ambitions, she participated in the process. Just ask the women with whom she shared offices and dreams.
She was set to retire in June.
Along the way, she and Jon met, married and built a life that included the birth of her “baby girl” Myriah in 1999. Settling in Golden, she made it abundantly clear from the get-go that Myriah and the dogs were “up here” and Jon was just a small step below. He was ok with that. Oh, and that sense of humor. Go ahead and laugh with her or even at her. Just laugh.
She loved to travel and did so with Myriah and Jon to exotic locales like Africa, Thailand, Hawaii and Europe and to not so exotic locales like Baraboo, Cimarron, and Colorado Springs. Her passion for scuba diving took her to the destinations in travel brochures that you dream of like Fiji, Belize, Indonesia, and Cozumel with her accountant pals, Diane, Laura and Melanie, known collectively as the Dive Girls.
She was also for most of her adult life an avid skier, enjoying many trips in Colorado with Jon and Myriah. She scoffed at the notion that perhaps she should throw the occasional turn in there to, you know, maybe slow down a bit. Not her style.
Surprisingly, or maybe not in Katrina’s case, she was gifted with a beautiful creative streak as well, from sketching and painting birds (hummingbirds were a favorite) to clever and heartfelt writing, especially about her dogs and Myriah.
She was a fiercely dedicated mom to Myriah, a deeply loving wife to Jon, a staunch protector and provider for her family in Kansas, a supporter and friend to Jon’s three daughters, Strawberry, Amanda, and Jasmin, an advocate for those with less, a true partner at PWC, and has left an unimaginable hole in our hearts.
She wrote “I have long been okay with the impermanence of life. I believe there are other places our souls can flourish and I have done much work in this world.”
Yes she has.
She is survived by her husband Jon, her daughter Myriah Pitt, her mother and father Anita and Larry Salem, her sister Anissa (Mark) Durham, aunts Gloria (Wayne) Barngrover and Marla (Alan) Griffin, a bevy of cousins, nephews and nieces, her step-daughters Strawberry Windholz, Amanda (Brant) Gleaton, and Jasmin Pitt, her step-grandchildren Paige, Jameson, Scarlett and Gordon and her faithful canine companions, Buddy and Deuce.
Katrina was adamant that she be cremated and her ashes scattered with those of her dogs on top of North Table Mountain above her house in Golden, Colorado. That ceremony and celebration of her life will occur in the coming months. Details forthcoming.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Katrina’s name to Foothills Animal Shelter www.foothillsanimalshelter.org or call Becca Clark at 720-235-3332