Cathryn Brown Kinser

Cathryn Brown Kinser, 83, of Asheville, passed away Saturday, June 19th, 2021 surrounded by her beloved family, in her home of 60 years.

Born in Johnson City and raised in Oak Ridge, TN, Cathryn was a daughter of the late Pleny E. and Grace Edens Brown.

A graduate of Carson-Newman College with a degree in Home Economics, Cathryn nurtured a lifelong dedication to education and volunteerism.

After marrying her husband Robert in 1959, the couple moved to Asheville to start a family.
Cathryn’s many passions included her family, friends, church and social-impact volunteer work – with a special focus on parks and youth organizations.

In summarizing her career, you’ll encounter the same words over and over – Chairwoman. Founding Member. Board Member. Director. She harnessed her entrepreneurial, strategic and organizational skills to drive change and actively work to make the world around her a better place.

Her career highlights include membership on the NC State Parks Board, where her exemplary service led to her membership with the National Parks board. She shaped the early work of the Buncombe County Recreation Services – including critical work on the Bele Chere origination committee in 1979. 1979 was a particularly busy year – as she was also commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Julian Carroll.

Cathryn was Chairwoman of the WNC Nature Center Board, and served as interim center Director. She facilitated the early development of the French Broad River park system through her work with French Broad Foundations and was a founding member of RiverLink. Additionally, as a member of the Blue Ridge Parkway association she served as Chairwoman for the North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway dedication in 1987.

Cathryn’s tireless volunteerism also encompassed extensive work in youth organizations where she drove immense impact on young lives. She was an Adult Advisor to the Asheville Buncombe County Youth Council, winning multiple service awards and special commendations. She served as a Boy Scout Troop leader, and was an avid supporter of the Enka High School band, including being one of the founders of the Land of the Sky Marching Band Festival. She also served on the board of directors of the YWCA.

A long term member of Grace Baptist Church, Cathryn created and managed the church media center for five decades, ran the after school tutoring program and actively trained other churches on library and media center creation.

At her core, Cathryn was a passionate change-maker and community builder who worked tirelessly to share her knowledge and enrich the lives of those around her. After her four decade career in social-impact volunteering concluded, she was not one to spend her retirement idly – she embarked on extensive world travels with her husband Bob and close friends, visiting over 26 countries. She also loved spending time at the family cabin in Lake Watauga, TN.

Cathryn’s warmth, vibrancy and passion for living life to its fullest will be missed by all who knew her.

Cathryn was preceded in death by her parents, Grace and Pleny Brown, husband Robert C. Kinser, and son, Bryan Lee Kinser

Surviving are her daughters, Cynthia Kinser and Dave Baker, Vanessa Osborne and Eric, daughter-in-law, Jonel, and daughter-of-the-heart Lizanne Vos; grandchildren, Kim Evans and Michael, Crissy Battle and Elijah, Scott Kinser, Adam Kinser, and grandson-of-the-heart, Roelf Vos; and great-grandchildren, Sam Davis, Vera Battle, and Noah, Jude and Willow Evans.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to ABCCM, the Blue Ridge Parkway Association or Buncombe County Recreation Services.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff of Home CareFree for their loving care, and Four Seasons Hospice for making it possible for Cathryn to remain at home.

A celebration of Cathryn’s life will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 26, 2021, at Richmond Hill Park, 280 Richmond Hill Drive, Asheville 28806. A reception with a light lunch will follow.

Please adhere to current Covid guidelines and wear a facial mask if you have not been fully vaccinated.