Victoria Shechter Catlin Obituary (1952 - 2024)

Victoria Shechter Catlin, 71, of Merriam, KS, passed away February 28, 2024. Victoria was born in Moline, Illinois; the family ultimately moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1956. Victoria had always been an artist, and poet interested in writing, drawing, music and most of all acting. During high school she spent a year in Mexico, learning and living the culture. Then traveling to the Yucatan and Guatemala. Victoria began her acting career at an early age, joining The Kansas City Repertory Experimental Theater Company and then the Chicago Free Street Theater. Her love for her art only grew more. After college, Victoria moved to San Francisco to study with Leonard Pitt. Here she had the unique opportunity to study with one of the most famous mime artists in the world, Marcel Marceau. Soon after, she moved to Los Angeles where she pursued stage, television and movies. Victoria played numerous important roles in television productions such as: “Blackie” in the original Twin Peaks, Amazing Stories, Soap and many more. Her movie credits include: Ghoulies, Maid to Order and Howling V: The Rebirth, and Slow Burn. Victoria did not only perform in television and movies, but loved performing on stage. She was involved for 2 years with the Odyssey Theater Ensemble in Los Angeles. In 1978, Victoria was fortunate to play “Guera” in the internationally acclaimed production of “Zoot Suit” at the Los Angeles Mark Taper Forum. As a result of this play, Victoria and the other three primary cast were featured on the cover of the New York Times magazine. Victoria was involved with local and national politics as well as numerous non-profit organizations: City of Hope, American Cancer Society, Glendale Boys Home and Ranch to name a few. She also worked as photo editor for the Disney Channel, and for various companies as script consultant, co-producer, etc. For the past 20 years, she has reviewed movies for the Academy Awards. Victoria is survived by her brothers, Gerald and David, and sister Judith; sisters-in-law Jennifer Logan and Gayle Shechter; nieces and nephews: Eric Shechter and his wife Carrie, Rikki Duncan, Jessica Thomas and her husband Brad; Tobin Lankford and his wife Sabrina and Sarah Lankford and her partner Robbie McIlvaine as well as her great nieces and nephews: Zoie, Hunter, Cole, Fletcher, Jordan and her spouse Kenny Hogge, Ashton and her spouse Shannon, Peyton, Taiyo, Taijah, Corbyn, Decker, Graicyn, Emersyn, Hayden and Cameryn. Services to be held 2:00pm on March 28, 2024 at Louis Memorial Chapel – 6830 Troost Ave KC, Mo. Celebration of life to follow. In lieu of flowers, family requests donations to Rose Brooks Center for battered women of Kansas City, World Central Kitchen, or Planned Parenthood.