Katherine Nourse Bowers

Kathy Bowers, 67, of Grand Junction, died in Denver, August 15, 2016, of complications arising from back surgery. Kathy, who lived in Telluride for 30 years and married and raised her family there, moved to Grand Junction with her husband, Jim, in 2000. She loved and was dedicated to her family and friends, all of whom will keep her forever in their hearts. Kathy was smart, open-minded, a good friend, talented and had a deep concern for others. In early years in Telluride, she was a successful businesswoman, founding and running the Mountain Frog, Telluride's first bookstore, now Between The Covers, on Colorado Avenue. In her 50's, she became an accomplished designer and ultimately a student when she returned to college at Mesa State University. ""Kathy had the greatest smile in San Miguel County,"" was a common reference by friends, who knew and played and worked with her. One of her characteristic capacities was for listening to friends, talking about their problems, and even to strangers. ""Kathy was a world-class listener,"" her husband, Jim, said. ""No matter where we might be, all of a sudden someone would be unloading on her. The thing was, Kathy cared; she could handle it."" Kathy's interests were many and varied, yet foremost among them, and always, was her family. Her daughters, Aspin and Jamie, remember her as ""always supportive, always there, no matter what."" And, more recently, Sara Rae had become the joy of her grandmother Mimi's days. Kathy was an avid reader. She enjoyed golf with her golfing group at Bookcliff Country Club. In the 1980's, she became an accomplished interior decorator. Tennis, skiing, hiking—Kathy was a natural athlete. She was raised on the beach on the ocean in Southern California and moved on into the mountains of Colorado, showing a tenacity that carried over into her unrivaled abilities as a hardcore fundraiser for projects that were important to her community, including building the Organization of Women's Network in Telluride. ""I remember the first time I ever saw her,"" Jim said. ""It was one of those typical sub-zero Telluride days. I was sitting in the sun at the old Senate Bar and Restaurant with my friend, George Jones, when Kathy drove by in an International pickup truck. I said, `George, you see that truck?' George said, `Yeah, what about it?' I said, `Do you see who's driving?' `Uh, huh,' George said, `a girl.' I said, `I'm going to marry that girl.' Well, I found out who she was, then we had a wonderful 45 years together, and now I'll never forget her."" Katherine Nourse Bowers was born December 17, 1948, in San Diego, CA, and grew up in La Jolla. She moved to Telluride in 1971. She is survived by her husband, James Rae Bowers, of Grand Junction; two daughters, Aspin Teevin (Erik), of Seattle, and Jamie Bowers, of Los Angeles; and a granddaughter, Sara Rae Teevin. She was preceded in death by a son, John Benjamin (Benji) Bowers. A celebration of Kathy's life is being planned and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to an animal welfare shelter or to a children's hospital of your choice would be appreciated. Please share your memories of Katherine and condolences with her family in the Guestbook below.