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Cathryn Scheeline Bransten, a former president of the women's auxiliary at Mount Zion Hospital, died at the Sequoias retirement community in San Francisco on Jan. 23. She was 83.

A second-generation San Franciscan, Bransten died just nine days after her husband of 62 years, Edward Bransten.

"My mother was a beautiful woman," said daughter Kate Feinstein. "She'll be remembered mostly because she was just so beautiful and lovely. She never met anyone she didn't have kind words for."

Bransten, who attended Girls High School in San Francisco and U.C. Berkeley, lived with her husband for 61 years in a three-story house on the corner of Cherry and Clay streets. She had moved to Sequoias less than a year ago, continuing to care for her husband, a former executive of the family-owned MJB company and a longtime Jewish Community Relations Council leader.

Despite the couple's worldwide travels to countries in Europe and Asia, San Francisco was Bransten's favorite place.

"She preferred San Francisco to anywhere else," said Feinstein. "Both she and my father were fortunate enough to live their entire lives here. It felt like home to her."

Bransten, a member of Reform Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco, served on the board of directors of the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. She was also a longtime volunteer at Mount Zion Hospital, serving on the board of directors from 1967 to 1968, and 1976 to 1981. She was president of its women's auxiliary from 1967 to 1969.

Bransten's involvement in the hospital was part of a family tradition, said Feinstein.

"We had a connection with Mount Zion," she said. "Both of my great-grandfathers on my father's side were involved with the hospital when it was founded. Both of her eldest children, including me, were born there."

Feinstein added: "She had a real connection with people and enjoyed reaching out to them — that's why she volunteered there."

Daughter Pat Berkowitz added that her mother's connection with people resulted in loads of friends.

"She really had friends from all walks of life," said Berkowitz, "and she made them quickly and easily. She had only been at Sequoias for six months but she had many friends there already."

Bransten was an avid reader, artist and music lover. She was also an active investor and sports fan — interests she inherited from her father, Harold P. Scheeline, a stockbroker.

"She had a great interest in things that he loved," explained Feinstein.

Bransten is survived by daughters Feinstein of Palo Alto, Berkowitz of San Francisco and Barbara van der Wal of Santa Clara; niece Anne Scheeline; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Services were held at Home of Peace in Colma.

Memorial donations may be made to the Cathryn and Edward Bransten Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Federation's Jewish Community Endowment Fund, 121 Steuart Street, S.F., CA 94105, or a charity of choice.