Catherine "Kay" Weiss

Catherine “Kay” Weiss, 90, passed away peacefully on October 1, 2011 after spending the day surrounded by her beloved husband and family. Kay was born on March 21, 1921 in Manhattan, NY. She received her bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame College on Staten Island and spent years teaching handicapped elementary school children. In November 1944, she married the love of her life, Air Force pilot Cornelius F. Weiss, Jr., “Dick”. Dick and Kay raised three sons in New York until IBM relocated Dick to Raleigh in 1971.

After moving to North Carolina, Kay found her great passion in life—first riding, then showing Arabian horses. When two of her boys attended NC State University, Kay became a spirited Wolfpack supporter, and especially enjoyed watching basketball and football games. She remained a lifelong fan and loved sharing her enthusiasm and talking sports with her grandsons in North Carolina. Kay was also an active member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Cary, where she spent years serving as a Eucharistic minister. Kay devoted herself to helping care for others, often visiting the sick or elderly in hospitals and nursing homes.

Kay’s extended family also has fond memories of her cooking. Favorites include her traditional Italian pasta sauce, savory salami pie, marinated spare ribs, and her delicious, one-of-a-kind cheesecake.

Kay is survived by her adoring husband, Dick Weiss, of Cary, her three sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and Pam Weiss of Northford, CT; Bill and Tammi Weiss of Cary; Tim and Diane Weiss of Raleigh, as well as five grandchildren—Michael Weiss and his wife, Gigi, Ridgefield, CT; Nicole Lake and her husband, Ed, Berlin, CT; Tyler Weiss, Raleigh; Justin and Kelsey Weiss, Cary. The newest members of Kay’s family include three great-grandchildren—Daniel and Toby Weiss, Ridgefield, CT and Catherine Lake, Berlin, CT.

Kay’s husband and family would like to thank the staff and friends at Heartfields Assisted Living At Cary, the doctors, nurses and staff of Wake Med Cary Hospital, Dr. Mark Stacy of Duke University Medical Center, Dr. David Fisher of Doctors on Call, and the nurturing staff of Hospice of Wake County for their care, compassion and support.

A funeral mass in Kay’s memory will be held on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 804 High House Rd., Cary. Prior to the mass, the family will receive visitors from 12-1 p.m., at St. Michael’s.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Church Street Station, PO Box 780, New York, NY 10008-0780. Currently, the Brin Wojcicki Challenge is matching all new or increased giving donations to the Foundation. The Challenge is made possible by a leadership gift from Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki of Google, Inc. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to researching and finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease and to the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's.