Remembering Katy Hart Wolf, devoted mother, Buddhist scholar and compassionate community builder

Katy Hart Wolf passed away early in the morning of Dec. 18, 2024, at the age of 70. Katy was a uniquely remarkable woman whose life was defined by resilience, compassion and a tireless commitment to helping others. She sought to positively impact every being fortunate enough to cross her path, and her legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

At the heart of Katy’s life was her role as a devoted mother. To her son David, Katy was everything — an advocate, a cheerleader, a source of unwavering comfort and a role model. She provided him with a foundation of love and support, instilling in him the values of tenacity, kindness and compassion. Katy was not only a nurturing parent but also a loving friend and inspiration to those fortunate enough to be part of her world. Her loving spirit magnetized a wide array of people, allowing her to serve others as a pillar of connection.

Katy’s spiritual journey helped define the path of her life. Raised in a Jewish family in Indianapolis, she always maintained a connection to her Jewish heritage. In her early 20s, Katy found her spiritual home through her studies of Tibetan Buddhism, becoming a devoted student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. She embodied the teachings of mindfulness, compassion and wisdom, bringing these principles into every aspect of her life. Katy was known for her ability to live these teachings in the world, curating her actions to benefit others. Her spiritual practice was deeply integrated into the communities she created and nurtured. Katy was passionate about connection through groups, creating spaces that allowed individuals to come together in a spirit of shared learning, growth and support, helping people define their own paths.

Throughout her life, Katy had a profound curiosity about death and dying, which she approached with reverence and acceptance. Part of her deep interest in death and dying stemmed from her experience as a survivor of the crash of United Airlines Flight 232. Emblematic of her extraordinary perseverance, she overcame that unimaginable experience. Living with the effects of both PTSD and a severe traumatic brain injury in a time when these issues were not widely understood, Katy never allowed herself to be defined by tragedy. Instead, she integrated this experience into the mosaic of her life, using it as a foundation for personal growth and self-discovery.

Katy’s intellectual curiosity was boundless. A self-proclaimed lifelong learner, her academic journey began with her early interest in writing, including two plays she authored and directed in high school. Katy later pursued higher education with the same passion, becoming a student of the human condition through psychology and spirituality. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado. She then went on to receive a master’s degree in Buddhist and Western psychology from Naropa University, staying to teach in the program for many years. Later in her life, she received a second master’s degree in organizational development from American University.

Katy’s professional life was marked by her passion for helping others and her drive to create meaningful change. She worked in a variety of public service roles, including at the Boulder Mental Health Center, the Boulder Justice Center and the Boulder County Board for Developmental Disabilities.

She was also a founding member of Windhorse, a group-based organization that integrates mindfulness and compassionate home care for individuals facing mental health challenges. Through Windhorse, Katy helped create a space where individuals could find healing, support and a sense of belonging. Beyond Windhorse, she facilitated countless groups, always bringing her insight, warmth and leadership to those she served.

Katy’s life cannot be easily captured in a single narrative. She was a woman of extraordinary depth, compassion and generosity — a teacher, a healer, a friend and a mother. Her generosity of spirit was not limited to her closest circle; she touched the lives of everyone she encountered. Katy showed us what it meant to live with resilience and grace, to embody love without condition, and to support others in finding their own paths.

Katy is survived by her son David, her boyfriend Chris, her brother Andrew, her goddaughter Evangelynn, her many friends, and the countless individuals whose lives she touched through her work, her kindness and her unwavering commitment to helping others.

Katy’s memory will live on in the hearts of all those who were fortunate enough to know her, and her legacy of love, strength, and wisdom will continue to inspire us all.

May all beings enjoy profound and brilliant glory.

There will be a Sukhavati for Katy beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, at the Boulder Shambhala Center, 1335 Spruce St., Boulder. A catered reception in the shrine room will follow the ceremony. For those unable to attend, the Sukhavati will be available by Zoom. If you would like the link, please email Lea at lea.speiss@boulder.shambhala.org.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the following organizations, all of which Katy supported in her lifetime:

• Sangha For Ukraine
• Donate via PayPal
• For Togdens (monastics), email togden.sponsors@gmail.com.

For many years, Katy would start her day by reciting the following poem. May it serve as a reflection for all:

The Summer Day
By Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean —
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down —
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?