Catherine "Kitty" Schmitz

Catherine “Kitty” Schmitz, 78, passed away peacefully on the morning of March 29, 2025, held in prayerful song by her daughters. She was a joyful and dedicated member of the Bahá’í faith community throughout her adult life. Her family humbly requests prayers as she wings her flight to the spiritual realm.

Kitty was born in Santa Ana, California in 1946, the eldest of four children of Caroline “Babs” Markwood and George Dolan. She spent most of her childhood and youth in Manhattan Beach, California. As a young woman, she served at the National Bahá’í Center in Wilmette, Illinois. Kitty married Anthony “Tony” Schmitz in 1972, and soon after they moved to Costa Rica where they raised their three daughters. Over the course of nearly three decades, the family lived in Filadelfia, Bagaces, and Tilaran, Guanacaste; Santa Barbara, Heredia; and Rio Oro de Santa Ana, San José, creating community with those around them.

Kitty worked for many years as an educational administrator at her daughters’ school, and it is rumored that it took at least three people to replace her. Outside of her work career, Kitty was a dedicated volunteer, organizer, convener, facilitator, and connector. She worked with many local and international non-governmental organizations in the areas of peace, human rights, and environmental protection. Kitty worked closely with the United Nations University for Peace, hosting an international radio interview show called “Peace Talks,” and organizing international conferences that included religious leaders, community organizers, and political dignitaries. In these roles, she met with several Nobel Peace Prize laureates including Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Oscar Arias, and the Dalai Lama.

Kitty was an active servant to her local, national, and international Baha’i community throughout her adult life. She served for twenty five years on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Costa Rica, many times as its chairperson, and on the Continental Pioneer Committee for the Americas. She served as a member of the Auxiliary Board for the Continental Counsellors for the Americas, and as a Deputy Trustee of the Board of Trustees of Ḥuqúqu’lláh.

Upon returning to the United States in the early 2000s, Kitty and Tony lived in Picayune, Mississippi; Manhattan Beach, California; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kitty retired as a civil servant and focused on helping to care for her mother, grandchildren and great grandchildren, as well as volunteering with several nonprofit organizations. In her retirement, Kitty continued to spread a message of peace through her passion for music, as a member of the New Mexico Peace Choir.

Even after being diagnosed with dementia, Kitty continued to radiate joy and kindness until her last days. She is survived by husband Tony; her brothers Michael, John, and Charles Dolan; her daughters Erica, Samantha, and Carolina; her sons-in-law Daniel Wallace, Sergio Schwartz, and Patrik Nkouaga; her grandchildren Akeva, Shanti, Alma, Gadi, Matthew, Sergio, and David; her great-grandchildren Noah, Iz, Rowen, Maya, Acer, Elio, Kira and Rio; her sisters-in-law Frances and Anne; and her nieces and nephews, Abigail, Rebecca, Maya, Oliver, Sarah, Rachel, June, Finn, April, Bianca, and Rosemary.

A memorial service will be held at the Albuquerque Bahá’í Center on April 2, 2025 at 5:00pm at 5700 Ouray Rd NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87120. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the New Mexico Peace Choir.

https://www.nmpeacechoir.org

A graveside service to honor Catherine's life will be held on April 2, 2025, at Sandia Memory Gardens in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The service will begin at 2:00 PM, with an invitation to all who wish to pay their respects.