Cathy Jean Ottesen

Cathy Jean Ottesen passed away from metastatic breast cancer on October 3, 2024. She was at home and surrounded by her beloved children, which was exactly how she wanted it to be. 

Cathy was born on July 14, 1967, in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the youngest of six children. The Ottesen family soon moved to Southern California for a few years, where she developed a lifelong love for beaches and sunshine. The Ottesen family then relocated to Highland, Utah, where they settled for the rest of her growing-up years. She had many fond memories of fishing in the mountains, eating at Arby’s with her dad, and being a Cavette at American Fork High School. 

For college, she attended Ricks College for two years. She was on the folk dance team there and loved it. She then transferred to BYU, where she did ballroom dancing. In 1991, she graduated with a degree in home economics and education. 

After getting married and having her first two children, Cathy and her family moved to Ammon, Idaho, in 1996, which quickly became home. She had two more children and loved raising her four “treasures.” Being a mother was her lifelong dream, and she was deeply devoted to her family. In Idaho, she made many good friends and frequently volunteered in the community. She loved sharing the food she cooked with neighbors and church members. Because of her extensive cooking skills, she taught culinary arts classes at BYU-Idaho for ten years. 

After getting divorced, she needed a different career path. She chose to pursue the challenging and rewarding career of nursing—-something she had long been interested in. Working as a nurse was interesting and fulfilling for her. Her compassion made her an excellent healthcare provider. She made lifelong friends with many of her cohort members and colleagues and enjoyed caring for other people. 

The people who loved her remember her for: 

—Her love of Cafe Rio 

—Being a good and empathetic listener 

—Being spontaneous and adventurous at concerns and other events

—Her voracious sweet tooth 

—Sassing other people when they got in her way 

—Her keen observations of what other people liked and her memory of what mattered to others 

—Always using quality perfume because smelling good was of the utmost importance to her 

—Her sassy and occasionally bawdy sense of humor that was underneath her dignified demeanor 

—Her love of beaches, sun, and warm weather 

She is survived by her four children who love her and miss her: Hannah (Joshua), Caleb, Benjamin (Kristen), and Levi, as well as a baby granddaughter, Shay.