Wilhelmina "Ms. Mia" Cather

Wilhelmina Elsina Oostinga “Mia” Cather, age 77, passed away in Birmingham Saturday, August 12, 2023 after a good fight against multiple illnesses. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Bill Cather, her children Heath Cather (Jennifer), Robbie Cather (Rachelle), and Anna McClendon (Ryan); her grandchildren Matthew and Megan Cather, Daniel and David Cather, and William, Virginia, Margaret, and

Wilhelmina McClendon; her brother Cees Oostinga and sisters Anja Oberholzer and Marjike D’Anjou. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hendrik and Anna Oostinga and her brother Wim Oostinga. In addition she is survived by her “American sister” Betty Ehlert McManus and her “honorary brother,” Patrick Cather; plus her much loved nieces and nephews as well as many close friends.

Mia was born in 1946 in Groningen, The Netherlands, into a contractor’s family. Years later her father would build their house, “The Esserlaan,” near a canal that they enjoyed ice skating on in the winter. She had a large, extended family in Groningen and there were always birthdays to celebrate, a tradition she carried with her to her new home in America. There was not a big family here but she always made sure that birthdays were special and celebrated big! Growing up her family would travel every summer to

vacation on the beach in Italy. Her love of being near the water never waivered. As a child and until her last days Mia was always wanting to do things with her hands. She learned to knit and cross stitch at an early age. Her mother, father, and aunts were always knitting. Everyone would say “what Mia sees with her eyes…she can make it with her hands”and there has never been a more accurate description of Mia. She and her siblings all took piano lessons and enjoyed playing duets together. Later, during her

days at the University of Groningen, she played piano for a ballet school. Mia also spent many years playing volleyball.

In 1962 the Oostinga family was asked to host an exchange student from Selma, Alabama. Thus began a lifelong friendship with her “American sister,” Betty Ehlert. In June of 1966 Mia sailed to America and paid a return exchange trip to Alabama to live in Selma and attend the University of Alabama. While at the University she was named an honorary Kappa Delta sorority member.

That summer she went to the beach at Fort Walton, Florida Where she met her future husband, Lt. Bill Cather, who was stationed at Hurlbert AFB. The following year Bill was stationed in London and Mia was going to school and working for KLM allowing her to travel easily to see Bill in London. Their relationship deepend and on May 15, 1970 they were married in Groningen. When Bill’s time in the Air Force ended and he flew home to work in the family’s printing business, Mia was finishing up her studies and taking her

exams for a degree in Pedagogy from the University of Groningen. She then flew to New York to join Bill and they drove to Alabama where they lived in Canterbury Apartments for a year before buying their house on Essex Road in Forest Park where they have lived for the past 52 years. She loved flying the Dutch flag on the house whenever her family was visiting from Holland.

Once she was settled in America she worked at UAB’s CDLD before starting an EMR class at the Church of Ascension in Vestavia. After spending some years at home with Robbie, Heath, and Anna she began a 20+ year career as “Ms. Mia” teaching at Early Arts Center. Her love for interacting with small children was so visible that parents heaped much praise upon her. We were never out in public without hearing Ms. Mia’s name called. She also spent many hours volunteering at Avondale School where her children attended and was a den mother for the cub scout den for three years which led to Bill, Heath, and Robbie’s lifelong love of scouting.

They joined First United Methodist Church in 1971 and for many years she taught Sunday school, Bible School, and played the piano for the children’s choirs. She also started a knitting group wherein the group made baby blankets and prayer shawls for members of the church.

She loved doing needlework and over the years covered the house in quilts,cross stitch, and knitting. Many people have been blessed with beautiful afghans or precious knitted baby clothes and blankets. She and her friends began a Forest Park knitting group where she taught many of them to knit. Their weekly Friday meetings have been ongoing for almost 20 years.

Mia’s love of flowers was evident in her yard, her house, and in her almost 50 year membership in the Cliffside Garden Club of which she was president 1984-1985 and 1987-1988. While Bill may be the one you have seen doing most of the yard work these days, he is quick to tell you his love of gardening was inspired by Mia. In recent years, when Mia could no longer garden, Bill made sure that she had a beautiful garden to sit in and always had flower bouquets placed around the house for her to enjoy. She and

Bill loved traveling to Highlands, NC, Chicago, the beach, and most recently their lakehouse. But best of all Mia loved sitting in the front yard and greeting neighbors as they walked by.

There are numerous people to thank for assisting with the care of Mia over the last 12 years but in particular we would like to thank her team of doctors at UAB as well as her nurses at the DaVita Clinic; Dr. Eric Wallace, Dr. Paul Sanders, Dr. Kelly Godby, Dr. Michael Geer, Veronica McGee, and Shannon Smith. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the thoracic surgeon, Dr. John Richardson, who saved her life 12 years ago and to dear friends Dr. John Carpenter and Dr. Suzanne Bergman for their medical

guidance that led us to such a great team.

Mia was a mom, wife, Oma, sister, Tante Mia, friend, and teacher and she will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held Thursday, September 7 at 11:00 am with special music beginning at 10:30 at Birmingham’s First United Methodist Church. Visitation and a reception in the church dining room will follow the service. In her memory the family suggests gifts to the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. http://www.cfbham.org/catherfund