Catherine Grace Leonard

She died of lung cancer, exacerbated by a longstanding condition of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. At her request (nay demand) she died at home in her marital bed, overlooking her treasured salt marsh, the Patchogue River, Long Island Sound and the swooping ospreys that so entertained her.

Cat leaves her devoted and devastated husband of nearly 33 years, Michael Richard Gomez. She also leaves her beloved step-children, Emily Murphy of Colchester, CT, and Michael Robinson Gomez of Rockport, MA. With each of them, she had the thrilling (and, let’s be frank, occasionally frustrating) opportunity to be an on-premises, hands-on, in-your-face “mom” during their respective adolescences, a role that she savored at the time and for all the years since they left her home.

She also leaves her beautiful and ever-energetic grandchildren: Isabel Grace Murphy and Charlotte Carrier Murphy of Colchester, CT, and Colson Michael Gomez of Rockport, MA. She greatly regrets that she will not be around to see them become the incredible, interesting, accomplishing and loving human beings that they will evolve into.

She leaves as well many friends, especially Susan Prior, former work colleagues, doting neighbors and workout buddies. She also leaves a collection of scarves -- she, like the sainted Nora Ephron, hated her neck -- worth an untold fortune.

Before she retired in 2013, Cat was an editor at Business and Legal Resources in Old Saybrook. Prior to that, she was a partner in her husband’s former marketing/PR agency. Before that she held writing and management positions at Ames Department Stores in Rocky Hill, and SNET in New Haven and AT&T in New Jersey. She was a member of First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, a former member of First Congregational Church of Guilford and an alto in that choir, and an enthusiastic participant in Silver Sneakers at Valley Shore YMCA, and various tai chi programs in Old Lyme and Westbrook.

There will be a memorial service to celebrate her rich and full life on Saturday, May 23 at Noon at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

Her family acknowledges and appreciates the care and support of her many doctors, pharmacists and palliative care/hospice nurses who helped her wage her battle against her disease. In particular, her oncologist Dr. Robert Levy and his staff in Centerbrook deserve praise and affection for their prompt attention, sensitivity and accessibility.

In lieu of flowers, Catherine has asked that friends consider a contribution to the American Lung Association of the Northeast in her honor (go.lungne.org/c.leonard).