Kathleen (Kathie) Hinton-Braaten, born Mary Kathleen McNeil, passed away on March 25, 2021 in her home. Born in Ventura to Jack and Adelaide McNeil, she graduated from Ventura High School in 1959. From the age of 10, her real passion was playing the violin. She went to study music at Oberlin, but did not finish and came back to California where she met her first husband, Steve Hinton, with whom she had her only child, Randy.
She and Steve divorced a few years later, so she launched her career playing the violin instead of completing her education at that time. After working in several cities across the country, her young son in tow, Kathie landed a position playing in the first violin section of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, where she played for 22 years.
During that time, Kathie played under conductors Antal Dorati and Mstislav Rostropovich as well as playing the opening concert of the Kennedy Center. She also met her second husband, Richard Braaten, who was the official photographer of the Kennedy Center. The Symphony gave her the opportunity to travel the world, including to many countries in Western and Eastern Europe, Japan and the Soviet Union. During that USSR tour, the Orchestra played the Stars and Stripes Forever as an encore before an enthralled and cheering Soviet audience.
She had many interests and was a voracious reader. She was always learning something. Even in her final days she was teaching herself French.
At age 50, Kathie left the National Symphony and went to Law School at the University of Chicago. During her time there, she helped launch the Center for the Study of Central Banks, which ultimately moved her to New York City. After two years there, she decided to come home to California and start her own law practice, which she pursued in Orange County for almost 20 years before retiring.
Soon after her retirement, Kathie moved back to Ventura where she lived for the past four years.
Kathie is survived by her son Randolph (Randy) Hinton and his wife Barbara, of Ventura, as well as her sister Sheila Anderson, cousin Sally Crain and her niece Martha Olson and nephew Chris Marrero.
Family and friends are invited to Memorial Service which will be held Wednesday, April 14th at noon, at the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main St. Ventura.