Cathy’s Obituary
Cathy was born on July 11, 1966 to loving parents Eric and Marjorie Parsons on the north, central coastline of Newfoundland, in the mining community of Baie Verte. She was dedicated to God in The Salvation Army shortly thereafter. And thus her story began …
She was the youngest of four resilient, stubborn, and passionate children and although she was the youngest, she had fought the hardest for all that she loved and believed in and here’s why. After graduating from Beothuk Collegiate High School in 1983, she went on to study the gospel, to live her life in faith, and to share her love of Christ for and with all those who encountered her along the Christian path. She particularly shared her faith with and for her children. Her first gospel travels took her to an eastern bible college in Peterborough, Ontario where she studied Christian education for a number of months. This took her further to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where she continued to deepen her education in the Christian faith at a bible college in this region. She then returned to St. John’s, Newfoundland to pursue a degree in Education graduating from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Education in 1992. During her university years, she also cared for her ailing mother, Marjorie Marie, who predeceased her in 1988.
After graduating, she taught for a brief period of time in St. John’s, NL and then went on to live and to joyfully teach in the remote areas of northern Ontario – Keewatin, Sandy Lake, Cochenour, Ear Falls, and Balmertown. In between, she and her family lived in Sydney, Nova Scotia where she also taught for a short period of time.
Cathy enjoyed her teaching years and continued to do so to the best of her ability as she journeyed through an extensive number of years with breast cancer. Through this time, her faith and her hope were her guiding principles, and her family of loving friends was her rock. But in spite of it all, she always managed to see the brighter side. Her laughter, her smile and her frequent, daily homemade bread will be missed. But perhaps now you will be inspired to continue the tradition of the baking and sharing of bread amongst your family, friends and acquaintances.
For those who were blessed to have known and care for her, Cathy was a loving, affectionate mama bear to her four beautiful children – Lucas, Bethany, Rebecca and Matthew. Through her own strength, discipline, perseverance and most of all her profound faith, she loved, nurtured and taught her children with unfaltering passion and deep conviction. And she taught, as she loved, your children too, just as she did her own … because for her, life was all about the children. (She said it all started with the dolls.)
Leaving to mourn her great loss, and to celebrate her abundant life in education, fellowship, and faith are the following family, friends and colleagues from across the land – her children Lucas, Bethany, Rebecca and Matthew, her father Eric of Freshwater, Carbonear, NL; her sister Marie (Bill & Charlie) of Calgary, AB; her brothers Gerald (Shirley) of Clarenville, NL and Donald (Matilda) of Big Lake, BC; nieces and nephews (Christopher, Warren, and Keshia); Aunts and Uncles (Joan & Sidney, Gerald & Joyce, John & Mary, Frank & Eloise), as well as Sandra, Cathie, Betty, Donna, Judy and Silviane.
She will be especially missed by her close circle of friends, colleagues and quilting companions in the Red Lake area who took her under their wing and who became her extended family … Toots and Ed, Michelle and Ron, Pat and Paul, Lisa and Barry, Elise, Sandy, her many friends at Grace Community Church especially the Elders, and her very good friend David, and so many others too numerous to mention.
The Parsons Family would especially like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the Community of Red Lake and area for helping her in any way you could to build her up, to keep her safe, to ease her pain, share her hope and her joy, and to give her comfort as she steadfastly confronted and walked along her path.
And thank you to each and every one of you who gave unconditionally your time, your comfort, your care and most of all for the love you shared with Cathy and her children during her journey here. Thank you for walking beside her, for sheltering her beneath your wings, for doing all you could, for as long as you could.
Today, she has been raised up. Today she is stronger, she is freer. She is now with her savior, the creator … resting in the peace and comfort of God’s arms. We have been blessed!
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, May 19th at 11 am in the Grace Community Church with Pastor Keith Graber officiating. A private family interment will follow in the Red Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 19th from 9:30 to 11 am in the Grace Community Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to New Starts Women Shelter, or Grace Community Church through the Red Lake Chapel, Box 237, Red Lake, ON P0V 2M0.
“Finish then thy new creation, pure and sinless let us be; let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee; changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love & praise.” (2 Cor. 3.18)
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Cathy Parsons July 11 1966 May 15 2018.source
Décès pour la Ville: Red Lake, Province: Ontario
