Cathy Porteous

Catherine Gray Porteous passed away on Christmas Eve, 2022 after bouts with pneumonia and Covid. She was 79 years old.

She was born on January 19th, 1943 in Topeka, Kansas to Laura (McFadden) and William Alan Gray. She married and had two daughters (later divorced).

Cathy worked at Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) for more than 30 years as a secretary in the business office, the newsletter editor, and then Executive Assistant to the Superintendent. Before that she attended Washburn University, studied at a secretarial college, worked for the State of Kansas, and taught shorthand at Topeka Vocational and Technical School.

She was an avid reader, loved to cross stitch, and knew 578 names for the color "off white". Renowned by friends and family for her taco salad, chicken and broccoli casserole, pizza noodles, and hamburger stroganoff (though despised by her youngest daughter) - on her own, Cathy was more likely to enjoy the lesser well-known cream cheese and olive, or peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. Cathy was a compassionate listener and dispenser of advice (requested or not), and you could find her office or her living room filled with seekers of acceptance, wisdom, and cutting wit.

Cathy is survived by her daughters, Meg Porteous and Trish Porteous Gregg, her son-in-law Todd Gregg, grandsons, Mitchell and Jackson Gregg, sisters Betsy Mickey, and Nancy Stone, nieces and nephews, in-laws, and a host of great, and great great nieces and nephews. Our mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend will be deeply missed.

Please join us for a casual celebration of life on Sunday, January 22, 2023. The family will be greeting visitors from noon until 2:00pm. For those interested in making donations in her name, please consider The American Heart Association, The Alzheimer's Association, Kansas Neurological Institute, Americorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program, or Topeka Community Cat Fix.

To leave a message for her family online, please visit the guestbook below.