Catherine Janette Lovely

Catherine J. Lacy Lovely was born March 18, 1938, to James and Juanita Lacy in Dallas, Texas. She had twelve siblings. She loved the Lord and lived her life in his following. Catherine passed on December 17, 2024.

Fondly known as “Cat,” she was raised and educated in Dallas, where she graduated from Lincoln High School in 1956. In November 1956, Cat wed C.D. Lovely, who was active duty in the United States Navy. She trained as a Nurse’s Aide and worked in the newborn nursery at Parkland Hospital until the mid-1960s. Cat and C.D. had three children: Yolanda Gale, Clifton Donnell, and Cathy Denise. After her years at Parkland, she transitioned to Domestic and Cleaning Services until she retired.

In the early seventies, the family moved to North Dallas, eventually settling on Pomona Rd., where Cat lived for fifty years. She moved into an Independent Living community in January 2020.

Catherine was a strong presence in her children’s lives, heavily involved in various PTAs, acting as a fearless Girl Scouts Assistant Leader, Cub and Boy Scout Den mother, and actively supporting drill, band, and football booster clubs. Family was a central part of her life and she always instilled the importance of strong family ties in her children and grandchildren.

When not cheering on and supporting her children, she could be found at the bowling alley. Catherine was an avid bowler known for her “backup ball” technique. She participated in local, regional, and national level competitions, where she bowled numerous “300” games and won many awards. She was the backbone of the Cotton Bowl Lanes youth leagues for numerous years, teaching the techniques and joy of bowling along with teamwork to children of all ages and leading numerous teams and mentees to local and regional championships. When she was no longer able to bowl herself, she enjoyed going to the bowling alley with her family and friends and passing on her know-how to the next generation of family bowlers.

As the family grew, she was instrumental in helping each of her children raise their kids. Long before cell phones, she served as central dispatch for the family. As the kids and the grandkids grew, she enjoyed their success not only academically but also socially and spiritually, loving to hear of their adventures and pushing them to use every moment to learn something new. Catherine enjoyed a good meal (especially tacos, ribs, and desserts) and loved sharing recipes with her family, walking through the process numerous times. Life was not always easy, but she kept her belief in the Lord as her guide. She maintained her kindness, spunk, compassion, and gratitude throughout her long life.

Loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, she will be missed, but the treasured memories she leaves behind will remain forever. She was preceded in death by her parents, her spouse, C.D. Lovely, and her siblings, Z. Jean, Edwina, James Jr, Lucretia, Edgar, Marilyn, and Homer.

She is survived by her siblings Reba, Eric, Mabel, Herbert, and little brother Tommy; her children Yolanda Wright Davis, Clifton Lovely, and Cathy McClellan; her grandchildren LaDon Wright, Takima Wright, Christy Kennedy, Leatrice Ferrell, Chastity Lovely, Christopher Lovely, Cathryn McClellan, and Miranda McClellan; her 13 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren.