Kathy Marie Halterman
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In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to https://www.nvcf.org/funds/kathy-halterman-memorial-fund.
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Kathy's obituary
Kathy Halterman
May 11th, 1955 - January 10th, 2026
Kathy Marie Drake was born on May 11, 1955, in Alliance, NE, to Charles and Clara Drake. She was the middle of five children, with two brothers and two sisters. The family later moved to Longmont, CO, where Kathy was raised. She graduated from Longmont High School in 1973 and went on to graduate from a local beauty school.
After high school, Kathy married Raymond Gonzales, and together they had three sons: Zachariah, Jacob, and Jeremiah. The family lived in Longmont, CO, where they attended and served at New Creation Church. In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Kathy and her family traveled across the United States working in youth ministry, eventually settling in Oroville, CA, in the summer of 1991 to plant a church. Kathy played a vital role in the success of the church plant. Kathy’s two priorities never wavered: her trust in God and her deep love for her three boys. During these years, she found great joy in her work at Oroville Internal Medicine and Sac Heart.
In 2000, Kathy married Gerald Halterman. She worked at Golden Hills School, where she especially enjoyed working with children. In retirement, she loved camping trips to Lake Almanor and walks along the beaches at Fort Bragg. She also cherished quiet mornings on the front porch, watching birds at the feeders, though it was there that she developed a particular dislike for scrub jays. Kathy valued the small things in life and treasured being surrounded by family. Over the years, her family grew to include daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. Her greatest joy was having all her boys and their families together.
On January 10, 2026, Kathy passed away due to complications from a lung cancer diagnosis she received in 2018. She defied expectations, outlived prognoses, and fought bravely until her final day. She was surrounded by family at the time of her passing.
Kathy will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her for her sense of humor, her laughter, and her loving nature. She is survived by her husband, Gerald; her three sons, Zachariah (Jennifer), Jacob (Julie), and Jeremiah (Jennifer), and their families; and her siblings, Penny, Steve, and Julie. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Clara, and her brother, Kenny.
Until her final day, Kathy remained steadfast in her faith and devoted to her boys.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kathy Halterman Memorial Fund through the North Valley Community Foundation. All donations will benefit Chico Community Ballet, a local nonprofit where Kathy lovingly sewed costumes for full-length ballet productions, including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Her granddaughters also danced with the ballet company. Donation information can be found at the link below, and all contributions are tax-deductible. https://www.nvcf.org/funds/ka…
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