Catherine MacFarland Baer Ambrose

Born on February 16, 1947, she was the middle daughter of the late Dr. Thomas Blakely Baer and Ann "Nancy" Neblett Chambers Baer of Bluefield, West Virginia. As a child, Catherine was a decorated AAU swimmer representing Bluefield Country Club. She attended high school as a boarding student at St. Margaret's School in Tappahannock, Virginia. After graduating from high school, she went on to earn her bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky, and her Master's Degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Vanderbilt University. She subsequently moved to Knoxville to work at the Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where she was employed for three years. She met her husband, Bill, upon moving to Knoxville, and they were married in 1975. After taking a nine year break to start a family, she returned to work for Knox County Schools as a Speech and Language Pathologist, where she worked with middle school-, elementary school-, and preschool-aged children for nearly 30 years. After retiring, she volunteered for the Episcopal School of Knoxville.

Catherine was a beloved member of her community and spent her life serving in many ways over the years. As a young woman, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, and upon arriving in Knoxville, she became a member of the Knoxville Junior League, and later the Westmoreland Garden Club and Nine O'Clock Cotillion. For six exciting years, she was an Assistant Girl Scout Leader for Troop 315. In her later life, she also enjoyed being part of the Mary Grainger Blount Garden Club. Most importantly to her, she was an active member of St. John's Cathedral for more than 45 years, devotedly serving on the Altar Guild, as part of Daughters of the King, as a Sunday School teacher, participating in Emmaus, Foyer Group, and countless other volunteer positions. She was very strong in her Christian faith, and she drew strength from her church family.

Catherine was a loving, positive, energetic person who possessed a gentle wisdom and always put others before herself. She was ever the lady, gracious and kind to everyone, no matter the circumstances. Unfailingly thoughtful, patient, kind, generous, and humble, she constantly strove to be happy and have fun, and she was good at it. Her most profound emotion was a deep and devoted love for her family, which drove almost everything she did. She was also a loving and loyal friend, and her closest friends were like her sisters. She was both emotionally and physically strong; she was always active and athletic, swimming, walking, exercising, socializing with friends, and caring for others until she could no longer do so. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1994, and with exceptional courage and strength, she successfully fought off three recurrences and an additional cancer diagnosis over the ensuing 32 years, emerging triumphant in the end. She was her doctor's longest living patient.

Catherine was proceeded in death by her parents, her sister Barbara Ann Baer Wright, and her beloved parents-in-law William Leonard Ambrose, Jr., and Elisabeth "Lib" Seabrook Moore Ambrose.

She is survived by her husband of 50 years, William "Bill" Leonard Ambrose, III, daughter Elisabeth Blakely Ambrose Benchich (Mike) of Charlotte, North Carolina, and son William Leonard Ambrose, IV (Allison) of Boston, Massachusetts; seven grandchildren, Everett Roth Benchich, Lawrence Moore Benchich, Catherine Blakely Benchich, Charles Slade Benchich, William "Liam" Leonard Ambrose, V, Caroline Ellis Ambrose, and Reece Alexander Ambrose.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John's Episcopal Cathedral, 413 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902, or online at https://stjohnscathedral.tpsdb.com/give

A graveside service will be held at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery on Friday, February 13th at 1:00 pm, followed by a Celebration of Life at St. John's Episcopal Cathedral at 2:30 pm, with a reception to follow in the Ross Great Hall.