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In memory of

Kay Alys Hutchinson

Portland, OR, USA

December 8, 1950 - August 11, 2018

Dec 8, 1950 - Aug 11, 2018

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Kay Alys Hutchinson of Portland, Ore., died unexpectedly of natural causes on August 11, 2018, in Baker City, after an evening spent doing what she loved: listening to beautiful music in a beautiful setting, surrounded by family and friends. She is survived by her son Dustin Hutchinson (Tasha Bissell); her siblings Kent (Peggy), Kim, Karen Dischner, Kirk, Keith (Diane), Kevin (Paul) Marshall, and Kristen (Mahina) Young; nineteen nieces and nephews; numerous cousins; and countless friends.

Kay was born on December 8, 1950, in Portland, the third of eight children of Alfred and Helen Torris Hutchinson. She attended Multnomah Grade School and Wilson High School, and earned her bachelor's degree from Boston University. Although she loved to travel, Kay lived most of her life in Portland, a place she enriched with her presence. She retired from REACH Community Development in April 2018, after a long career spent working to ensure Portlanders have affordable housing and supportive communities. She was looking forward to moving to the Big Island of Hawaii this autumn to be closer to Dustin and Tasha as they welcome their first child and her first grandchild.

Kay loved and was loved by family, friends, and coworkers. She was a dedicated patron of the arts, including White Bird Dance, PICA's TBA Festival, the Oregon Symphony, and the 'In a Landscape' concert series, for which she volunteered this summer. Her favorite sentence, which she uttered frequently, was "I just got tickets to see Pink Martini, and I hope you can come." Traveling to see Pink Martini in other cities was a way she kept up with far-flung friends. She also marched and volunteered for social justice, and supported political causes and politicians she felt would improve our city, state, nation, and world. Whatever the event, it was never hard to find Kay in the crowd, her warm presence set off by her love of bold prints, bright colors, and chunky jewelry. Her voice was distinctive, and when she greeted you, you knew you'd hear something that would make you laugh.

Kay was an avid reader, a passion she shared by giving books to others. She loved to sew, particularly when crafting gifts for family members. She was a dedicated swimmer, but also a devotee of scotch and cigarettes, not to mention ice cream. And especially of pie, along with other baked goods, which she frequently made for others. From 2005-2014, she lived with and cared for her mother Helen, and after Helen passed away, Kay put together a cookbook for family members of Helen's recipes. If there is a recipe of Kay's we should all treasure and follow, it's to do work that matters, nurture the people you love, don't hesitate to eat something delicious, and always go see or do some fabulous new thing in this world.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, Aug. 24, at 4 p.m. at Government Cove on the Columbia River near Cascade Locks. Memorial donations may be made to REACH, the 'In a Landscape' concert series, or White Bird Dance. Her family also invites you to volunteer for a favorite cause in her memory.

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