Catherine Elizabeth Wegener

      To Catherine Elizabeth Wegener, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Catherine, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Catherine really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

      Catherine was born on February 12, 1916 at home in Chicago, Illinios. Her parents were George and Ruth Ferris. Catherine was raised in Chicago, Illinios. Even as a child, Catherine had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

      Always a good playmate, Catherine was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Catherine managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Catherine was raised with one sibling. She had one younger brother, Bill.

      All of Catherine's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Catherine experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in swimming.

      Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Catherine was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Catherine simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Catherine, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Catherine's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Catherine graduated from Carl Schurz High School in 1934. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English.

      Catherine never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Catherine to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Catherine delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Catherine was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Catherine utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, her best friend was Ruthie. Later in life, she remained friends with Ruthie. Catherine loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

      The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Catherine very easy to approach. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

      Perhaps the reason Catherine related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Catherine was blessed with four children: three daughters, Donna, Tootsie and Darlene and one son, Daniel. They were also blessed with ten grandchildren, Vicky, Vonnie, Jim, Steve, Tammy, Andy, Tim, Dan, David, and Doug. Cathrine also had 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Catherine had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Catherine's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Catherine had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, Catherine was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Catherine liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Catherine was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Catherine's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Catherine as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was retial and Lab assistant. She was employed for 20 years at the State Health Department.

      Catherine enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Catherine liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuit was photography. Catherine was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

      Catherine felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Catherine loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Catherine relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Catherine never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Catherine was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Top on her list was baseball.

      Catherine had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Catherine's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. Throughout his later years, Catherine was an active member of the P. T. A. and the Red Cross.

      Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Catherine recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member bethel Baptist Church since 1948. During that time, she served 40 years in the church nursery.

      Living life in the fast lane suited Catherine just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations were any of those that she went with her family on.

      Catherine was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Catherine's favorites was All of her pets were dogs, Betty-Butch, Taffy and in the last year Max.

      Catherine believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in in 1985 at the age of 70, Catherine took it in stride as one more way to have fun. Her new life involved relocating to Denver. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Catherine remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in church an travel. Even in retirement, Catherine continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

      Catherine passed away on May 30, 2009 at At home in Highlands Ranch. She is survived by three children, nine grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. Services will be held at Hope Community Church. Catherine will be laid to rest in Vilisca, Iowa.

      Catherine brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Catherine Elizabeth Wegener lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.