At an early age Cathie spent her childhood in Surrey’s Birdland neighbourhood. Along with her sisters Debbie and Lori, she participated in Girl Guides, softball and figure skating. Her starring role as the Snowball Princess was the highlight of her skating career. Family Sunday’s at Grandmas with Uncles, Aunts and cousins were some of her favourite memories. Having to wear matching dresses with her sisters was not.
Cathie became a mother at a young age when early Valentine’s morning her daughter Dawn was born. She loved being a mother, and always put her daughter first above her own needs. Whether that was making sure she had the latest fashion trends when she was a teenager, spending hours building a life sized castle in her front lawn for a school project or making “Afrosnuvels” for the student’s in Dawn’s classroom. Cathie’s love and passion for being a mom shined through each and every day.
Cathie met Wayne when she worked as a waitress, she always thought it was funny to say that they met at a bar. It was their perfect start to their life together. They quickly blended their families and Cathie became a mother to Eric and Sara. They had 32 truly joyful years of the deepest love, happiest marriage and truest partnership. Cathie and Wayne together shared their love of camping and fishing with their children and later grandchildren. From Champagne Lake to Lily Lake and a few simple campouts at Alouette, they made memories with both family and friends. Cathie loved to tell stories about the pig roasts and pancake contests, being in the camper in the woods was where she loved to be. The family trip to Shuswap Lake with Wayne, Dawn (Jim), Eric (Margo), Sarah (Michael) and all her grandchildren together was a dream come true for Cathie.
Cathie valued the relationships with her closest friends Gail, Bette, Alyson and Sherryl. They provided her with decades of laughter, with camping memories, pedicure outings, shopping trips and many bowls of soup. Most of all, the tender loving care when she most needed it.
Cathie always said that her greatest accomplishment was her grandchildren. They were the light of her life and a source of joy on a daily basis. “Nana” as they called her could always be counted on to have crafts ready to go, an overflowing box of toys (usually a few new additions upon each visit), the lego table ready and flashlight fairytale stories during sleepovers. She was instrumental in helping plan each birthday party with her numerous Pinterest boards and didn’t waste anytime heading to Michaels to help make some of her crafty ideas. Alexis, Sophie, Lily, Ryder, Pierce and Makadie will forever have their Nana in their hearts and her craftiness and creativity flowing through them.
Even in her final weeks, Cathie never stopped crafting and knitting. She knit scarves for everyone in her life and then carried on knitting them for each nurse and fellow patients in the hospital. I think Cathie’s final laugh on Wayne and Dawn was the amount of wool she left for them to find in her crafting bins.
Cathie’s life will forever be remembered in the hearts of those who loved her. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.
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