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Obituary:
- Catherine Lynne Connolly (nee Witmer) passed from this life to her next great adventure on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at home in Owen Sound, having defied her cancer prognosis beyond anyone's expectations.
Born in Kitchener to Donna and Darcy Witmer (deceased), Cathie is survived by siblings Cyd, Michael, and Rebecca (Rob), and was predeceased by her brother Steven.
Cathie always had a strong and fierce spirit. Faced with seizures as a child, lupus as an adult, she learned how to cope, and then carried on with determination.
During the years she was married to Michael Connolly, they raised Dennis Kyle, Beth, Bridget (Alex), and James Darcy. Her kids describe her as incredibly loving, and a wonderful teacher of how to live fully. Every summer, she would drive them up north (from Connecticut, then Texas, then Ohio) and give them a requisite dose of Canadiana. Some years, she volunteered with school math clubs and the like; others, she worked at Barnes & Noble (great way to expand their home library, as she prized owning "the good books"), and ran a housecleaning business (which turned out to be a great way to make friends).
She eventually switched gears, becoming full-time caregiver to her parents in Meaford, for which they were eternally grateful.
Her brother, Michael, continued to tell her she was "a weird kid" right up until the end, which suited her just fine (kind of a badge of honour). She often saw herself as awkward, but truthfully she was beautiful inside and out, especially when losing herself to music, or nature, or to deep conversation. She practically breathed David Bowie, as evidenced by the playlist she compiled, which will be posted on her Facebook page in the coming days.
There were unfulfilled plans (more hiking, more education, more shared food and conversation, etc.), but Cathie made her peace with all that. In the end, she said she had wanted to be like her Mom, and she certainly was: treasured by so, so many family, friends, and the people she met along the way. Her words for her children, and especially for her granddaughter, Diana, were simple: "Find Joy".
P.S. to the indescribable Chris: You are beyond a cousin, beyond a friend, and deserve all the best dragonflies ... not for what you do, but for who you are.
In lieu of a funeral service, she asks that you plant "something that flowers". She was so happy when the apartment and the patio were filled with flowers.
Cathie was insistent that her medical community be recognized. She was thankful to the depths of her being, for Grey-Bruce Health Services, their emergency, oncology, and palliative departments, lab and pharmacy, and all the nurses and staff, also the Victorian Order of Nurses, and her PSWs. Drs. Sandhu, Gibb, Barfoot, and Batten all displayed super-human skills, knowledge, and compassion. The support was amazing, and made all the difference in how she could face those toughest of days. Donations to Grey Bruce Health Services Owen Sound or VON can be made through Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, ON, N4L 1B9 to whom arrangements have been entrusted. www.fergusonfuneralhomes.ca
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in Waterloo Region Record on Oct. 23, 2021.
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