Sarah Elizabeth Hein

Following a 14-month battle with brain cancer, on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025, Sarah Elizabeth Hein passed peacefully from this world at her home, and in the company of family. She was 67 years old.

Sarah was born on September 8th, 1957, in Salina, Kansas, the oldest child of Robert Dean Hein and Loretta Mae (né Noonen) Hein. She grew up in Salina, attended Saint Mary’s Elementary, Sacred Heart Junior High, and finally Sacred Heart High School, where she was a cheerleader and president of the drama club. She attended the University of Kansas, a proud Jayhawk, developing a lifelong love of KU basketball and football. While a student she earned degrees in microbiology and organic Chemistry, finally graduating in 1982. She went on to attend Physician Assistant’s school at Wichita State University, finishing in 1984. During her undergraduate studies, she acquired a title that she would proudly wear for the rest of her life: “Mom”. Sarah had her first son in 1979 and completed college and PA school while a single mother, an accomplishment for which she was rightfully quite proud.

After interning in the Denver area as part of her time at WSU, she permanently moved to Denver to begin her professional Career in 1984, working in several settings including Primary care, Urgent Care, and many years in the OB/GYN field. She had a passion for helping the sick and those in need, harkening back to those who had helped her in her time of need. Much of her career was spent in rural and inner-city clinics. These are values that she shared and passed to her progeny.

Sarah married Jim Cathcart in 1986. They lived in Denver and moved to Littleton in 1987. The couple welcomed Sarah’s second son, James, in 1990. The marriage later ended in divorce.

Sarah’s life was blessed in 2007 and 2012 with the births of her grandsons, whom she loved dearly and visited whenever she could.

Following her divorce, Sarah moved back to her hometown of Salina and then lived in Trinidad and Alamosa, Colorado. It was during this time that she met Fred Housman, her partner as she neared the end of her life.

The fates colluded to bring her to Taos in 2019 to begin a job at El Centro Family Health. This job reinvigorated her career and her life, forming close relationships with colleagues and being loved amongst her patients. She felt a deep sense of community in the Taos, Embudo, and Española areas.

Sarah was an avid seamstress and quilter. She handmade her childrens’ and grandchildrens’ Halloween costumes when they were young as well as making quilts and blankets for as many babies as she could. She would make sure to stop by the quilt shops in any town that she was visiting. She was also a big fan of the Wizard of Oz, collecting books and memorabilia of the story over her lifetime. Many friends and family would have an Oz-themed ringtone for her when she called, a fact that she was never around to hear, though it brought joy, nonetheless.

Sarah is survived by her sons, Sean (Ashley) Hein of Durango, CO and James Cathcart II, of Lakewood, CO, her siblings, Johna Hein of Lindsborg, KS and Bill Hein of Lakewood, CO, grandsons Bergen and Soren Hein of Durango CO, along with numerous cousins.

A gathering and celebration of life will be held at her home in Taos in early June, details to be confirmed later. Interment will be at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Salina, KS. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mountain Home Health and Hospice in Taos, New Mexico. Sarah would also want you to see charity throughout your life and pay it forward whenever you can.