Catherine Odell Cathey

Catherine Odell Cathey November 11, 1914 January 31, 2011 Catherine Cathey, long time resident of Waco and teacher in the Waco public schools, passed away Monday, January 31, 2011, at her residence. Services will be 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 2, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, 6101 Bosque Blvd., with the Dr. Matt L. Snowden officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, February 1, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Emma Catherine Odell was born Nov. 11, 1914, in Valley Mills, Texas, to Elisha Hamilton and Mattie Tucker Odell. When she was six they moved to Gatesville where she started to school. Her family moved to Waco when she was eight years old, and she attended the Waco public schools graduating from Waco High School. She attended Baylor University where she received a B.A. degree. While at Baylor she served as assistant to Dr. J.B. Tidwell, Chairman of the Religion Department, for whom the Tidwell Bible Building is named. Upon graduating she began doing the thing she loved, teaching. After teaching a short while in Hewitt and for two years in Hubbard, Texas, she returned to Waco and began a long career in the Waco school system. She taught at Sanger Avenue Elementary School for many years, where the principal was Miss Nina B. Glass, then at Parkdale Elementary School where Mr. Eb Morrow was principal. She felt very privileged to have taught with two such outstanding principals. All of her teaching was at the elementary level, mostly the third grade. She was a dedicated teacher who loved her work, as well as her co-workers and students. She maintained friendships with them, well after her retirement in 1972. Her career was for a period in excess of 50 years. She married Tox L. Cathey on June 3, 1939, and he passed away Feb. 17, 1982. Catherine loved to travel the United States by automobile with her family and particularly enjoyed the Southern states. She loved to visit Holly Springs, Mississippi, and research her family's past. She also enjoyed working in her yard, bird watching and following Baylor sports, especially the Lady Bears basketball team. She was a life long member of the First Baptist Church of Waco, which she joined at the age of nine. She was active in the Estherian Sunday School Class, now called The Hannah Class, since the 1930's. She was a charter member and past president of the Epsilon Chi Chapter of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, where she recently passed her 51st year milestone of membership. She also was a long time member, until her death, of Waco McLennan County Retired Teachers Association, and Texas Retired Teachers Association. She also was a member of the Central Texas Genealogical Society. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tox L. Cathey; and brother, Jack Denton Odell, Sr. She is survived by her two sons, Robert Odell Cathey and Toxey William Cathey, both of Waco; and two nieces and three nephews. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. The family expresses its appreciation to Dr. James Copeland for many years of wonderful care, and to Rosemary Flores, Josephine Bahena and Linda Carreon for their loving care of Catherine for the last several years. Memorials may be sent to Epsilon Chi, c/o Iris Hill, 9720 Timberview Dr., Waco, TX 76712 or First Baptist Church, 500 Webster, Waco. TX 76706. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.