Obituary for Kristan Attardi Hushing

Kristan Attardi Hushing, age 62, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday evening, January 11, 2015, after a long and difficult battle with diabetes. She is survived by her brother John and her husband Sumner.

Kristan grew up in Tahoe City, California, and graduated from Tahoe-Truckee High School in 1970. She first attended the University of California at Irvine, then received her bachelor's degree in Women's Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She later pursued advanced studies in Marriage and Family Therapy, in San Diego. She received her license in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling from the State of California.

Kristan worked as a Marriage and Family Therapist in San Diego, California. With her husband, Sumner Hushing, Kristan later moved to Littleton, Colorado, where she received her license in Marriage and Family Therapy from the State of Colorado, and continued her therapy practice, until her illness prevented her from working.

Kristan had an enormously generous heart, and wanted to share with and help others - whether through her therapy work or with a thoughtful gift. She loved animals, particularly her companion dog Mandy. Kristan also possessed a deep curiosity that fueled her passions for her early career, as well as her hobbies of reading, music, and building unique collections. She shared many interests activities with her husband, including skiing, sailing, softball, volleyball, hiking and camping, and flying small planes to interesting places.

An informal “Celebration of Kristan's Life” was hosted at the house, a week after she died. Many pictures of her, from earlier and happier times, were posted around the house, to allow friends and family to learn or reminisce about the many good times she experienced.