Catherine Lynn Avey

"Catherine Avey was known to those who loved her as Cathy, and those who loved her just so happened to be all that knew her. She had the kind of face that felt familiar even if it was the first time you had ever seen it. She had an unmatched gentleness about her, one that made you want only the best for her, because you could tell without a doubt that she wanted only the best for you. One of her greatest worries in life was being liked by those around her, even though that was truly the last thing she had to worry about. She was impossible not to like, and her ability to make those around her laugh was outdone only by the joy her laugh brought others.  She was as self-sufficient as a person could be, never asking for anything other than how your day was. Though she struggled with pain throughout all her life, she shouldered all of it, always careful not to burden those around her. She did not take her struggles out on others, nor did she lay blame; she was far too strong for that. Even in the hardest of times, she knew how to both crack a joke and take one, blessed with a persistent lightheartedness that was infectious to all who endured hard times with her. She traveled from coast to coast, north to south, east to west, and saw the most beautiful things our country has to offer, living in places where people only vacation. Yet she did not stop there. She would invite those she loved to join her in these places because she wanted them to see what she had seen, and share with them the joy that she had found in this world. She raised a son as a single mother, and though she never knew it, she was a great mother, not only to her son but to all the friends and acquaintances of his that were fortunate enough to know her. She was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, co-worker, and friend. And had she gotten the chance, everyone knows she would have also been the perfect grandmother. We will all miss her dearly, from her last day to ours. However, we will do our best not to mourn her loss, but instead celebrate her life. That’s the way Cathy would have wanted it."