Montpelier, VT

Catherine Simpson, 75, of Montpelier, Vermont, passed away June 16, 2023.

She was the daughter of Thomas Will Simpson and Virginia Lang. Catherine was born June 22, 1947 in Arlington, Virginia where she grew up in a family of four girls. She went through the Arlington public school system, graduating from Washington-Lee High School where she was active in team sports and the editor of the high school newspaper. She then received a bachelor's degree in languages from North Carolina Wesleyan in 1969.

Catherine worked for a short time in Boston at a publishing company before leaving for the Glen Ellen Ski Resort in Vermont where a job perk was that she got to ski free. Eventually she ended up in Montpelier where she began her career working for the state of Vermont, first at the Department of Motor Vehicles. She received a Master of Public administration from the University of Vermont in 1991 and changed to the office of the Secretary of State. At one point she was Director of Elections for the state. Her most recent post was writing policy for Vermont's food assistance programs. She was also a Justice of the Peace. She retired in 2011.

Both before and after retirement Catherine enjoyed many activities such as opera, theater, movies as well as sailing and hiking. She also loved puttering in her garden and playing with her cats. But traveling was her passion. She traveled with friends and family across the United States as well as to Europe, Central and South America, and even to Turkey and China - the latter trip was with the Montpelier Senior Center. She was a committed member of the Senior Center taking many classes there as well as day trips which she loved. She was also active in the Vermont State Employees Union.

Catherine is survived by two sisters, Carolyn Bassett (George) and Helen Simpson as well as by nieces Lydia Bassett (Shane Schimpt),

Marcia Bassett, Carrie Siegfried (Rob), and nephew Christopher Pearson (Roman). She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Nancy Pearson.