Kathey Ann Ferland

A celebration of Kathy's life will take place from 9am on August 5 in the chapel ar St. Stephen's Episcpal School (6500 St. Stephens Dr. ) Dress is casual. The Chapel is not air conditioned , but an air conditioned space is available and will be used for informal visiting after the service. Live streaming and a recording of the ceremony will be available at this link : https://www.youtube.com/live/rLXwYaeIBQs?feature=share After living with cancer and fighting it tenaciously, Kathey Ann Ferland died on June 17, 2023. Kathey was born on April 23, 1954, at Bolling Field in Washington DC, the second child and only daughter of Andy and Marie Ferland. The family moved as military families do: to Panama when she was a toddler, at 6 years old to Alaska, which Kathey recalls as “in the middle of nowhere, where we went to school in a roller skating rink.” Another move came in the 4th grade, this one to Pensacola, FL, then to San Antonio in the 6th grade, where the family settled following Andy’s retirement from the Air Force. There, she graduated from East Central High School in 1968. Her next stop was the University of Texas at Austin to earn her degree in English. When she moved to Austin, she lived in Oakland House Co-op, where she met many of her deepest lifelong friends. After her initial work experience, Kathey was inspired to work on environmental causes, motivating her to earn her initial Master’s degree in Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Ultimately she worked for Texas’ natural resources agency. Her efforts led her to focus on companies’ ability to manage hazardous waste. One career high point was producing a study whose recommendations were adopted, disproving the need for a particular type of facility, consequently eliminating the environmental impacts of their construction and operation. Kathey then decided to work against climate change. In 2004, she went back to school at UT for another Masters, in Technology Commercialization. She received a grant to create a program at UT, called Texas Industries of the Future, to encourage companies to voluntarily conserve energy and not emit greenhouse gases. Her work included developing an international standard for energy management that is still being used abroad. Around 2014, Kathey downshifted to part time work and consultancy, eventually retiring in 2018. In addition to her professional efforts, Kathey said that “the other love of my life is energy, how we use it in our bodies and minds.” She taught Ki Aikido for 25 years, and was a 4th degree Black Belt. She described it as “connected to my interest in the environment, how the world works.” Kathey was dedicated to the study and practice of Buddhism. She co-founded and nurtured Mariposa Sangha, the local Insight Meditation group. She shares, “I love watching beginners, as the lights come on and they realize they’re not prisoners of their minds.” Kathey found her path and became accomplished in her fields as a talented individual. That talented individual is one half of a remarkable team, and knowing Kathey means knowing her husband, Rick Pearson. She describes, “Rick and I met in 1989, started living together in 1990, and decided we were sure enough to tie the knot in 2009. He is my deepest love. I’m survived by Rick and Ella, the sweetest dog in the world. She brought so much joy this last year of my life, when we needed joy.” In addition to Rick and Ella, Kathey is survived by: brother Gary Ferland, wife Ann, niece Beth, and nephew Peter, wife Libby and baby Liza; brother Greg Ferland, wife Megan, niece HaleighGage, and nephews Guy and Truett; sister-in-law JoAnn Doyle, husband Andy, and nieces Zoë and Caisa; and sister-in-law Elizabeth Cain and niece Michelle Walter. So many beloved friends also survive Kathey. She was pre-deceased by her parents, brother Kevin, and her father-and mother-in-law Fred and Mary Pearson. All of us, family and friends alike, are linked together by experiencing her kindness, strength, intelligence, warmth, wit, and that radiant Kathey smile. With our love wrapped around Rick, we hold Kathey always in our hearts as we send her on her way. Blessings.

Kathey Ann Ferland

April 23, 1954 - June 17, 2023