Katherine Ann 'Kathy' Faryniarz

Jul 22, 1958 -

Jun 2, 2024

Katherine Ann Faryniarz passed away unexpectedly on June 2, 2024 at the age of 65. She was born in Rutland, Vt. on July 22, 1958 to Joseph and Julia Faryniarz. She graduated from Fair Haven High School in 1976, the University of Vermont with a bachelors degree in nursing in 1984 and the University of Montana with a masters degree in exercise physiology in 1987.

Kathy came to Alaska as a traveling nurse in 1990 and worked at Providence Alaska Medical Center. In 1992, she met Mark Selland and in the spring of 1993 they got engaged while on a trek to Mt. Everest basecamp. They married on Sept. 25, 1993 in Stowe, Vt. and moved to Denver, Colo., where Mark was doing his fellowship in cardiology. While in Denver, Kathy worked in the pulmonary departments at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Kaiser Permanente. In her spare time she learned to fly and got her private pilots license.

In 1996, Kathy and Mark moved back to Anchorage and Kathy resumed working at Providence Hospital. Initially, she worked in the cardiac rehabilitation unit and for the past several years in day surgery. She loved nursing, her coworkers and the patients she took care of.

Kathy had many passions in her life, the most important being her friends. She thrived on connection with others, nurturing many friendships over decades and thousands of miles, and easily made new friends along the way. Her zest for life was infectious - trying new things and experiencing new places with others brought her joy.

She loved to travel and was a bona fide frequent flier. She fished in New Zealand and Argentina, backpacked in Patagonia, climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, biked in Spain, France and South Africa, skied in Norway and Switzerland and swam in the Galapagos, Hawaii and Australia, to name only a few of her travel adventures. She loved everything about the American southwest - the sunshine, desert flowers and the call of the canyon wren.

But Alaska was her home, where she loved doing whatever was in season. She was a proud finisher of Mt. Marathon and Crow Pass Crossing. She was the catalyst for many Alaskan river adventures. She enjoyed hiking with friends among the lupine and fireweed, going to the Saturday market, cycling and skiing on the local trails. She was an avid fisherwoman and loved all types of fishing. Kathy taught Mark how to cast a fly rod and row a drift boat. Together, they spent many wonderful days on the Kenai River and at their cabin in Cooper Landing.

Kathy was also passionate about animals and loved her dogs. She was active in the Anchorage Skijor Club and the mushing community. She tried distance mushing but was most happy running a small, fast team of sprint dogs. She competed in races and generously volunteered her time with the Alaska Sled Dog Racing Association and Chugiak Dog Mushers Association.

Kathy's lifetime of athleticism, teamwork and willingness to try anything prepared her well for her last joyful adventure - pickleball.

Kathy was appreciated by her family and friends for her adventuresome spirit and can do attitude, and will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Mark Selland; her brother, Joseph Faryniarz (Susan); nephews, Joe and Lee Faryniarz; and her dog, Austin.

A memorial service will be held on Oct. 12, 2024 in the Sydney Laurence theater at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.