Catherine Hodnett Elison

Catherine Mary Hodnett Elison, devoted wife, mother, and warrior, departed this life for a better world on New Year’s Day, surrounded by her loved ones in Jacksonville, FL. She spent the last decade of her life battling younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease with dignity and tenacity.

Cathy was born 15 October 1951, in Providence, RI, to the late John Francis Hodnett and Catherine Bernadette MacPhillips Hodnett. She attended Catholic schools in New England and the Midwest as her family moved across country and she graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 1973.

After spending her young adulthood living in Boston, MA and working in the financial sector, Cathy changed course and pursued her dream of traveling the world while serving her country. She graduated from Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy in 1981. Her first tour of duty took her to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, where she served in Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron ONE (HS-1). It was there she met the love of her life, Mike, a pilot in the same squadron, who was smitten with her. They married in 1985 and went on to raise two beautiful daughters. When war broke out in the Persian Gulf in 1990, Cathy was deployed as part of Operation Desert Storm. After completing her service, she supported Mike’s Naval career as the young family lived abroad and traveled extensively. This period in her life brought her some of her most cherished memories: Paris at Easter; Florence and Tuscany; the beaches of the Algarve; the Amalfi Coast; the white villages of Marbella; sunsets at Guincho.

Cathy was an avid equestrian, eventually adopting two off-the-track Thoroughbreds (one of which was originally owned by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth). She passed that passion for horses on to daughter Kerry, with whom she competed in dressage and hunter riding events. This love of animals was also reflected in her great affection for Basset Hounds, which she rescued as family pets for much of the girls’ childhood. To both her daughters, she passed on the virtues of kindness, fair-mindedness, tolerance, and a belief in the innate goodness of people; to her husband, the meaning of what it is to be fully human. Her brilliant blue eyes, infectious smile and gentle spirit put everyone around her at ease.

Cathy ‘s memory will be cherished by her husband, Michael; daughters, Tierney (John) Cheesman-Elison, Kerry (Alex) Martinez; sisters, Patricia (John) Bergaus, Mary Lu (Brian) Conley, Amy Hodnett; brother, John (Dena) Hodnett; father-in-law, Augustus T. Elison; brothers-in-law, Eric (Sonja) Elison, David (Gaye) Elison; and many nieces and nephews. Her family is deeply grateful for the kindness of friends Debbie Lipira, Patty Bentley, Jane Oehl, Rebecca Smith, and Marina Vargas who provided respite, outings, and companionship during Cathy’s illness. They are also thankful for the compassionate care Cathy received from the staff of River Garden Hebrew Home, Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans Nursing Home, and Community Hospice & Palliative Care in her final days.

Wake/Vigil Service 7:00-9:00 PM, Wednesday, 8 January 2020 at Hardage Giddens Funeral Home, 11801 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL. Mass of Christian Burial 10:00 AM Thursday, 9 January 2020 at San Juan Del Rio Catholic Church, State Road 13 North, Switzerland, FL. Interment with military honors will follow at 2:00pm, Thursday at Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32218.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are encouraged to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org), so that one day we may find a cure.