KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Tuesday morning, April 16, a beautiful spring day, Quincy Charter Andrus ended her fight with cancer and passed away.

She was surrounded by Kirk, her husband of 39 years; her three daughters, Sabrina, Caitlin and Megan; and four grandchildren, Kirk Penn, Scarlett, Callahan and Baby Gray.

Born in Vallejo, Calif., on Sept 7, 1951, to SPR Charter (theoretical physicist and author) and Mary Charter King (writer, “Quincie Bolivar”) she grew up in Olema, West Marin.

Quincy and her first horse, Joby, along with her dog, Laddie, spent their days wandering the Point Reyes coast and the hills of West Marin.

Always with book in hand on her rides, Quincy was a life-long lover of reading – a wonderful love that she passed on to her family. She would paint a beautiful picture when she reminisced on these days of her youth: riding to a meadow or tree and falling into a book, the Black Beauty series being her favorite.

She had a deep connection to horses and dogs, feeding twice a day for 50-plus years, and would often remark how much she loved hearing the sound of her horses eat.

She took in strays and placed the lost and unwanted animals with friends and vetted strangers. You could always find her with a trail of or lap full of her beloved dogs.

She valued language and the written word, reading several books at a time and always telling her daughters to “look it up” in their massive antique dictionary.

She attended Sonoma State (Granola U) in the early 70s and then transferred to UC Davis where she met her later-to-be husband, Kirk. She boarded her long-time companion, a thoroughbred quarter horse cross, John, at the Chiles Road ranch Kirk shared with fellow students and rugby players.

She was strong and independent as a young girl and carried this trait with her throughout her life, putting herself through college working in surgery at the UC Davis Vet School.

After Davis she moved to Sonoma County and in 1978 reconnected with Kirk who was a resident at the Santa Rosa Family Practice Program. Their friendship had shifted to something more and their love story began.

They moved to Kelseyville in the fall of 1979 and were married on Dec. 31, 1979.

Their love was grand: They were each others partner in ranching, work, parenting, love. In the last few years you could find them in the garden and around the ranch working individually, together. Quincy would say these were her happiest times with Kirk. They were friends who held a deep respect for each other as individuals and made each other stronger and better and happier together.

She loved their ranch and there with her husband, they raised three daughters along with numerous dogs, horses, cattle and cats.

During the early years, Quincy commuted to the nurse practitioner/physician’s assistant program at UC Davis, which included time working with Dr. Ed Neal and Dr William Vanderweken of Healdsburg and Cloverdale, all the while hauling along their firstborn Sabrina.

She worked with John Schwiefler MD in Lakeport before joining Kirk in their “Little Blue House” family practice in Kelseyville. She finished her career in women’s health working 14 years with Paula Dhanda MD in Kelseyville. Quincy’s ability to listen to and be present with her patients and her fierce commitment to being thorough was deeply appreciated by those with whom she came in contact as well as the staff she loved working with.

Quincy woke up every day with a deep appreciation for the little things: She loved her hot cup of coffee and her morning feeding routine, the sun shining, the smell of freshly cut grass hay, her family around her, a good book to read, a phone call with a friend, grandkids laughing.

She truly loved going with Kirk, her horse and dogs on a “ride-hike” at Highland Springs where she would ride while he led the way on foot. She loved loading up her horse and various dogs to ride with friends up Boot Hill.

She and Kirk developed a second home in Siskiyou County where they bought a small cabin and discovered another community of dear friends. They would ride into the mountains and she would read on the lake’s shore while Kirk fished, whistling him reluctantly off the water when it was time to head out.

A very private person, she resisted social gatherings but once engaged she thoroughly enjoyed herself and delighted in others. Quincy especially admired the elderly pioneer women of Lake County. Time spent visiting with neighbors Walt and Madelyn Lyon and Marilyn and Myron Holdenried were treasured moments.

A genuine listener she made people feel special, valued, and heard. Quincy was truly interested in the lives and stories of others and nearly everyone who crossed her path felt this gift.

She was an incredible mother and her daughters are fortunate to have been able to call her their best friend. She supported their dreams and loved their individuality – a trait they proudly gained from her.

She would reassure patients who expressed worries pertaining to raising girls, saying it “just gets better and better and my girls are my best friends, just make sure they know they can talk to you.”

In addition to her immediate family and friends, she leaves behind her younger brother, Pier, and her older sister, Collie, as well as her eldest son, Michael Lorenzini.

The family would like to thank Mike, Nanners, Pat, Terry and Linda, the Maeses and the Cotters for their continuous support and love (among so many others).

We love you and miss you terribly, sweet woman. We will do our best to follow your recent words and “just keep on keeping on, as you do so well.”

A celebration of life will be held later in the spring, and the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to fund a scholarship program in her honor.

Checks can be sent to the Quincy Andrus Memorial Fund at Umpqua Bank in Kelseyville, 4280 Main St., Kelseyville, CA, 95451. If you choose to donate, please make checks out to Andrus with Quincy Memorial Fund in the memo.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.