Katherine Jane Cameron

January 2, 1952 - January 30, 2026

Katherine Jane Cameron was born on January 2, 1952, in Brockton, Massachusetts to Norman Hall Cameron and Joan Fay James; she passed away peacefully on January 30, 2026 in Spokane, Washington.  She lived a life defined by music, adventure, independence and a deep love for her family and nature.

Kathi’s life began on the east coast, but she lived in many places. Learning early how to adapt  and chart her own course. Each new community made her resilient, curious, and helped her grow in her independence. She graduated from Chico High School, then went on to earn her degree from Chico State in California in 1973. She dedicated her life to music education. She taught generations of students across Mendocino County and the Sacramento area in California. She later taught in Kamiah and Saint Maries, Idaho. Music wasn’t just her profession; it was her language, her way of gathering people-a place where children discovered confidence, courage, creativity, connection, felt seen and loved. Over the years, she influenced countless lives, planting a lasting love and appreciation for music that will continue far beyond her time on earth.

While at college she met and fell in love with Keith Duane Cook. Kathi and Keith got married in 1973 and went on to have four children: Megan, Justin, Jordan and Brandon Cook. They raised their family in Fort Bragg and Garden Valley, California. They spent time as a family going to Lake Tahoe, camping at Stumpy Meadows Lake, playing music, swimming, visiting family, and exploring the outdoors.

She inherited her love of the outdoors from her father, Norman. He worked in the forest and showed her the beauty of the wild and the quiet strength found there. That early gift helped shape her life. She worked for the U.S. Forest Service for several years, tending to the land she loved and being Smokey Bear’s handler. Alaska called to her again and again. It’s rugged beauty, it’s wild terrain, and it’s fierce independence. What she loved about Alaska was a reflection of who she was. She found kindred spirits in Alaska and they became her second family. She was a frontier woman, independent, capable, unafraid to live alone in the woods, and deeply rooted like the forest she loved.

Kathi traveled extensively. She traveled by road from Alaska to Idaho and made many stops along the way to enjoy nature, music, and to visit family and friends. She journeyed through Yellowstone, along the historic Nez Perce Trail, up and down the ALCan Highway between Alaska and the lower states, and south to Mexico. She cherished her time attending Tamkaliks in Wallowa, honoring culture, music, and community.

One of her constant companions in life was her music; her instruments were never far from her side. She carried them to campsites, markets, festivals and family gatherings. She would sit beneath the open sky or among family and friends and connect with them by playing for them or teaching them. She made music with her grandchildren while camping and at home, passing down not only the songs and the skill to play them, but also the gift of joy found in making music together. Music wasn’t just a performance for Kathi. It was her way of sharing her spirit, sharing her story and her way of belonging. She shared her deep love of music with her four children. They each followed her example in their own way. Her music continues in them - woven into their lives and now in the lives of her grandchildren and great grandchild.

Kathi was an accomplished Native American flute player. She produced many CD’s with her own company Singing Dog Creative Arts. Her loyal dog and musical companion Moose joined her on many tracks. She loved crafts, beading, flute making, sewing, gardening, finding a good deal, thrifting and selling her beloved creations at markets. A devoted animal lover, she was rarely seen without one of loyal canine companions Moose or Moka. She took care of many stray cats throughout her life and had many other animal companions.

Kathi lived life on her own terms - independent, strong, adventurous, deeply connected to the earth, music, her family and friends. She leaves behind no small legacy: it echoes in the forest she walked, the roads she traveled, the songs she played, the wild places she loved, the students she inspired, the children she raised, the grandchildren she spoiled and her song that still drifts on the wind. Her life was a song and it will continue to play on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

In lieu of flowers, think of Kathi when you plant a tree, play music, while hiking in the forest, or playing with animals at a local animal shelter.