Kathy Evans, recycling activist in Berkeley for more than 50 years passed away March 4, 2025 in Oakland after a vigorous struggle with cancer. For the last few years Kathy served as Community Conservation Center’s (CCC) Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for the Board of Directors, but her influence has spanned decades.
After graduating from UC Berkeley in the late 60s with a degree in Biochemistry, Kathy became the heart and soul of the blooming recycling movement. She was a pioneer—one of the few who spent her entire career doing what she loved. Kathy was knowledgeable about all aspects of recycling and passed her knowledge along to the next generation of recycling activists. She started her long career as one of the Ecology Center co-founders in the mid-70s, where she served as Director, implementing one of the first curbside recycling programs in the U.S.
Following her career with the Ecology Center in 1982, Kathy worked for Community Conservation Center’s (CCC) “Berkeley Recycling” at Second and Gilman for the next 15 years playing a crucial role in successfully implementing one of California’s first Certified Buyback Recycling programs and fighting for CCC’s right to operate its recycling program at that site during the tumultuous 1980 recycling wars. In the ’90s, Kathy helped build CCC’s first-generation processing operations at CCC and also designed both the first and then second-generation curbside trucks . Kathy was a do-it-yourself gal and in the early years was often seen under the trucks repairing and maintaining the recycling fleet. Kathy worked right up to the end—she was a force, always giving support and direction to her colleagues and staff.
Kathy was a longtime resident of Canyon, California, an old logging town with a wild history hidden between Oakland and Moraga. She loved her wooded home in Canyon where she could farm, take care of her dogs, and raise chickens and goats—they were her extended family. She loved rock and roll music and blues and never missed Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. She loved trains and good Mexican food—she was a great cook and made a mean salsa.
Kathy had a loud and infectious laugh, loved a good party, and was always one of the last to leave. All who have known her and had the privilege of working with her will miss her dearly.
She is survived by and many friends, recycling colleagues, neighbors, and precious animal friends including her goats, chickens, geese, and dog Lulu and brothers David Evans (Elnora) and Steve Evans (Jane), sisters Joanne O’Neill (Phil) Julie Jackman (Rick), numerous nieces and nephews, cousins. RIP Kathy!
We will have a celebration of Kathy’s life on April 30th from noon to 3pm at CCC’s Berkeley Recycling Center.
