James L. Catterton

James Laurence Catterton, 61, died peacefully at home in Concord, MA, on December 13, 2013. He married Lois F. Wasoff on May 31, 1992.

Born in New York City, NY in 1952, he was the loving son and eldest child of Gladys Catterton and the late David Catterton. Mr. Catterton graduated from Greenwich High School in 1970, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Botany and Human Ecology from Connecticut College in 1974, a Master of Science degree in Natural Resource Planning from the University of Vermont in 1977, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 1982.

For many years, Mr. Catterton operated his own business, Walden Associates, Inc., a consulting firm located in Concord, Massachusetts which specialized in Conservation Services, Real Estate Appraisal, Land Planning and Land Management. As Principal, Mr. Catterton was responsible for appraisals, project evaluations, conservation planning, feasibility studies, market research, and land use consulting.

Mr. Catterton's clients include the Nature Conservancy, The Trustees of Reservations, other non-profit land trusts, the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture's A.P.R. Program, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement, municipalities, family trusts, individual land owners and other private clients.

Prior to forming Walden Associates, Mr. Catterton was Manager of Appraisal and Conservation Services with the Planning Department of LandVest, Inc., a broad-based real estate company. He also worked as a private consultant in regional planning, forestry projects and natural resource studies.

Mr. Catterton was a dedicated citizen of his town of Concord, where he resided from 1982 to 2013. Mr. Catterton believed strongly in public service, and he served his community in a variety of posts. He served on the Hugh Cargill Farm Task Force, the Route 2A Oversight Committee, and the Outdoor Lighting Committee. He was the long-serving President of the Concord Community Gardens and a founding member of the Concord Agriculture Committee, both of which exemplified Mr. Catterton's involvement with the land at every level. Mr. Catterton was an avid participant in Town Meeting where he proposed many articles, one of which established the Town's new Committee on Governance, studying ways to improve and reorganize Concord's government. Where vested interest is often the habit, Mr. Catterton approached all individuals and issues with reason, respect and a desire for every voice to be valued and considered.

Mr. Catterton loved to travel, and he and his wife developed close friendships in Italy. He was a gourmet cook and fine wine connoisseur, and enjoyed sharing meals with friends. Everyone who knew Mr. Catterton saw his joy in growing things and sharing them with others, from the heirloom tomatoes and other produce that he sold to local gourmet restaurants to the flowers that brought joy to many. He was also a former President and committed member of the Boston Mineral Club.

Along with his wife of 21 years, he is survived by his mother, Gladys R. Catterton of N. Andover, MA; sister, Amy Janovsky of Andover, MA; brother, Robert Catterton of Sebastopol, CA; and his two nephews, David Janovsky and Chris Catterton.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be made to:
The Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
18 Wolbach Road
Sudbury, MA 01776
www.massland.org

The Nature Conservancy
4245 Fairfax Drive, Suite 100
Arlington, VA 22203-1600
www.nature.org

The Massachusetts Audubon Society
208 S. Great Road
Lincoln, MA 01773
www.massaudubon.org