Obituary

RAWDING, Kathie Jane – 47 of Mission Viejo passed away peacefully on June 2, 2007 after a courageous two year battle with brain cancer.

Born October 30, 1959 in Los Angeles, she was the daughter of Judy Chan and the late Ben Chan.

Kathie attended Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, from 1978 to1981, where she majored in Business. It was there that she met her future husband Bruce Rawding who was 3 years her senior and attending Dalhousie Law School. Kathie and Bruce were members of the University’s Varsity Badminton team and won several Inter-Collegiate titles together. Kathie and Bruce graduated together in 1981 and were married at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in July of 1983.

Kathie quickly put her business degree to good use working in retail marketing with a goal of becoming a commercial buyer. A talented business woman Kathie started Cheesecakes Unlimited and expanded her business to upscale restaurants and hotels.

In 1990 Kathie and her husband relocated to Orange County where Kathie joined the staff at the University of Redlands, Orange County Campus. She and Bruce went back to graduate school earning their MBA’s degrees from the University of Redlands in 1993.

Talented and driven, Kathie worked for the University of Redlands, Orange County Campus for twelve years from 1990 to 2002 attaining the position of Assistant Dean of Admissions where she enrolled hundreds of working adults in evening undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business. Her students included Orange County Sherriff Mike Corona and former Orange County Supervisor Gaddi Vasquez.

Kathie finished her career in higher education at Antioch University, Culver City Campus, where she was the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid for three years until the onset of her illness. She was a member of several professional organizations associated with admissions and financial aid.

Kathie loved life and she lived life to the fullest. She enjoyed listening to opera, going to the movies, dining out, traveling, and playing board games and cards. She gave generously of her time and money to various social and medical causes.

She is survived by her husband of 24 years, Robert Bruce Rawding of Mission Viejo, her mother, Judy Chan, brother, Robert, sister Annette, two nieces and one nephew all of Southern California.

A Memorial Service in celebration of Kathie’s life will be held at Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, on Saturday, June 9th at 11am.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her name to the University of Redlands, Office of Development to the Kathie Rawding Memorial Scholarship Fund.