The award winning music and choir teacher died after a short illness on March 29, 2023. She was 56 years old.

Born in Hong Kong, Anne-Marie immigrated with her parents to San Jose, California when she was ten years old. She attended Branham High School, class of 1983, and went on to get a B.A. in Music Performance and an M.A. in Choral Conducting at San Jose State University. Her first teaching job was at San Jose High School, but after two years she moved to Abraham Lincoln High School where she taught and conducted all of Lincoln’s choir groups, from beginning to competition level, for 32 years. Additionally, she served as the Vocal Director for all of Lincoln’s musical theatre productions. During her time at Lincoln, her award-winning choirs sang all over the country and internationally. She created a multi-generational love for singing, having inspired and taught multiple members of the same families over her three decades of service. Her legacy runs deep.

All told, the essence of Anne-Marie was music. She was high expectations and dedication. She was hard work and no nonsense. She was laughter and silliness. She was love and a safe harbor for so many. She believed deeply in equity and never hesitated to speak up for those who had not yet found their voice. She is deeply, deeply missed by all who knew her.

If you want to find Anne-Marie today, look to the novice gardener, who marvels at her dahlias in bloom. Look for Ms. K in every pair of Mickey Mouse ears and every Sorting Hat. You will find A.M.K in the indisputable and loving bond of sisters and the purr of every rescued cat that’s found its forever home. But if you really want to see Anne-Marie Katemopoulos, look no further than the reluctant students of a beginning choir class; the ones who question if they have the strength to actually open their mouths and sing. It is there that she will always be, perched on the shoulders of those students, whispering in their ears with enthusiasm, “YOU… ARE… ENOUGH”.

Anne-Marie is preceded in death by her mother and father, Mildred and Theodore, brother Paul and sister Eileen. She is survived by her sisters Maureen and Katheryn Katemopoulos, cousins Michael O’Leary and Tim O’Leary and their families, dear friends, and thousands of students whose lives were changed because she loved them.

A public service will be held on May 27, 2023, at 6:30pm at Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph, at 80 S. Market St. Anne-Marie had two requests: wear no black and in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Lincoln High School Performing Arts Coalition or the Lincoln High School Music Boosters. For more information, please contact [email protected].