Janice Kay Cato

Jan was born July 6, 1955 in East St Louis to Kate & Lamar Moore. She was the eldest of 3. As a child Jan loved music, playing the piano, and being an active member of her church.

After graduating from Granite City High School in 1973, Jan started her career at Mallinckrodt Chemical Company. While working full time and raising 3 children, she earned her Bachelor of Science from Lindenwood University. Jan worked for 46 years at Mallinckrodt in various rolls, moving up in the ranks to become a senior purchasing agent. Mallinckrodt was a job she thrived at and loved, and holds a special place because it was where she met the love of her life, Donald Cato.

Don and Jan’s love started with a simple ride to work and blossomed into a lifelong story. They were married on October 11th, 1986. They built a family, a home, and a life filled with memories. Together they raised three amazing children, Tyson, Anthony and Ashley. They were blessed to become grandparents of two granddaughters, Lillie and Lennon, who were absolutely adored by their grandmother (Gigi). Being their Gigi was perhaps her proudest title.

Family was the center of Jan’s world. She was proud of the life she and Don had made, and the spouses Tyson (Liz) and Ashley (Kyle) chose to build their lives in the continuation of the family-first foundation they had created.

Jan loved both loudly and quietly, and she gave her family that love in a way that only a mother can. Love is her ultimate gift to us in the way she showed it, gave it, showed up for it, and always prioritized time for it. She did her best to pass her qualities and love to her family, and we are honored to carry them with us.

Jan inherited the “travel bug” from her father and she embraced it fully! She visited many beautiful parts of the world. Those places and experiences lead to a love for photography. Taking pictures allowed her to capture moments she cherished, and she loved looking back through those memories. She could look at an old picture and remember where she was, who was there, what was happening, and could always ask Don what restaurant they had eaten at while there.

Her love will live on in Don, her children and granddaughters. We carry her with us in the traditions she created, the lessons she taught, the memories she captured, and the countless ways she showed her family that they truly mattered. And now our travels, celebrations, photographs, memories, and lives will be forever an extension of her and her love.

Jan leaves behind to celebrate her life husband, Donald Cato; son, Tyson (Elizabeth) Cato of Troy, IL; daughter Ashley (Kyle) Kerkemeyer of Meridian, ID, granddaughters Lillie and Lennon Kerkemeyer; brothers Bruce (Karen) Moore & Mark (Kimberly) Moore. She is also survived by many other relatives and dear friends. Jan now joins in heaven and is reunited with her son, Anthony Don Cato, her mother, Kate Moore and father, Lamar Moore.

Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to Mid-America Transplant or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.