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Dorothy said...
Happy 51st Birthday Cathy. Miss you! This year for Christmas Kristina, Shannon and I picked a piece of jewelry from your collection and gave them to Petes sisters and nieces. We hung them on the Christmas tree in pretty pouches with there names on them. There seemed to be a special piece for everyone. - Thank you for such a beautiful gift.
- Love your sister Dorothy.
- December 28, 2008 5:38 PM
- skychic said...
Thank you Steve for doing this for us all to remember the beautiful soul that was Cathy. She has been released from the body that was no longer working for her. She is free to fly among the clouds like when I met her. She lives on in our hearts and memories.
Blue Skies, Marti
juliekartalian said...Cathy will forever hold a special place in my heart. She will always be remembered for her thoughtfulness and eagerness to help a friend in need. She will be remembered for her
amazing creativeness - be it making halloween costumes or designing jewelry. Cathy will be remembered for her sweet innocence and her love of flying through the sky. When Cathy found a love - she embraced it. Candles, soaps, jewelry, skydiving and a man named Rich Newman. She did nothing half way. Her life was cut short but she will live on in the hearts of those who knew and love her.
May you find peace Cathy.
Love, Julie Kehoe
Dorothy said...Cathy, you are my only sister and I miss you terribly. Thank you for loving me and my family. Kristina, Shannon and Eric always looked forward to spending time with their Aunt Cathy. I cant believe you are gone. I'll see you in heaven.
Love Dorothy
Susan said...Cathy, I didn't know you well, but got a glimpse of your beautiful spirit when your sister married into our family. Your life on earth may have been shorter than we all expected, but you seemed to really live your life, experiencing adventure and expressing creativity, even when facing the limitations of disease. I still have some beautiful earrings you made and treasure them more now than ever. I see you as an inspiration to ride the waves of life that swell from beyond. Peace to you, and love always. Enjoy the party up there with Branna and Ray!
- Elsa Bretado said...
Words are hard to find to express how sad I am to hear of Cathy's passing. Cathy and I first became friends long ago when we were young teenagers. (Back then it was called "junior high" school) We were neighbors in Chatsworth CA, went to school together and the five of us: Cathy, myself, Dale, Sharon, and Ann (aka Valerie)ran around together getting into the normal teenage girl mishief. Such fun times and precious memories! (I'm sure Dorothy remembers some of those crazy days of us too.) Cath and I stayed friends until high school but our friendship drifted as I moved away to Van Nuys CA. Regretfully, Cathy and I didn't see a lot of each other after that and as adults, but kept in touch on rare occasions. Cathy was always a loving, funny and very postive lady. Even as a teen she was full of energy and adventure. I will always be grateful for having been blessed with her as a friend and she will continue to live on in my heart. Rest in peace sweet lady. God bless your soul, Elsa
- SongWon,Yee said...
Cathy!!
You had visited our family many times and we had got happy days together in Korea you remember?
Your parents Tom and OkJae always had a visit to our home with you Cathy, Dorothy and Robert. That was our delight. Always you live on in our family the late Sang Hak, the late HiJae,the late YounHee,MyungWon,JongWon,ChangWon and SongWon's love in Korea.
I and my wife JongHwa pray for the repose of your soul. May You Cathy's soul rest in Peace with God's Love.
Love, SongWon.
Deanna Glick Lacques said...I absolutely remember the 2002 Kona Marathon with some of my fondest memories made in my life so far. It was through training for that marathon that Cathy and I first met and shared a terrific bond as fellow team mates, friends and women living with diabetes. It was so powerful to accomplish that achievement together while raising thousands of dollars for diabetes research. I cherish the diabetic bracelets and special post-Kona necklace she made for me, as well as for my mother. Cathy was so warm and thoughtful and a joy to keep in one's company. I am so fortunate to have known her in this life.
SkyRich said...Cathy my darling, I miss you terribly. There is a hole in my heart and my life where you used to be. I can only find solace knowing that you are free from your anguish and pain.
I haven't the words, but I found this poem which you liked so well:
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds -- and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager self through footless halls of air.
I've topped the windswept heights And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. -- John Magee Jr- Amelie said...
I enjoyed many wonderful hikes in the Hollywood Hills with Cat, and she was a pleasure to work with at Disney. I'm saddened by the pain she suffered from her disease and from circumstances where she wasn't appreciated for her tremendous talents and abilities. I loved her and thought so highly of her for setting the bar high as an athlete, an artist, a film market researcher, and a friend. I love her very much. The world is a lesser place for her grace and spirit.
- Kiki/Kirstin said...
I didn't know Cathy all that well, but she was the one that told me years ago that sometimes to experience the best things you just have to close your eyes and jump - out of a plane that is... and I finally did this year. And my thoughts when I did was that Cathy was so right and that her advice has proved very useful in other life adventures! So, thank you Cathy, for making my life that much better without even knowing it! : )
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- martha said...
Our hearts are sad at the news of Cathy's passing. Thanks for this lovely site, what a great way to give tribute to Cathy's life. Wonderful pictures of her beauty, joy and sense of adventure that we always looked forward to hear about at the family gatherings. I remember Cathy always had some fun story or a creative project for the kids to enjoy.
Sorry we can't be at the memorial so we wish all who knew her Peace and Comfort.
Shaun and Martha
Nathan Jakubiak said...My wife and I know Cathy because I work with Rich. We got to know know each other over watching Lord of the Rings together. Cathy would go shop while Rich held our place in line on opening weekend. :) And Cathy made some beautiful jewelry for the bridesmaids in our wedding, that my wife still wears today. We are so sorry for you Rich and for all of you, Cathy's family and friends. We are sad to see her go. Many blessings on each of you.
- Darla said...
Besides Cathy's beauty and zest for adventure, the thing I will remember most about her is her laughter. She had the best laugh, and she loved to laugh. And there was always plenty of laughter at our Halloween/Birthday/Cousins' Parties. Cathy's creative costumes blew me away. She was one of the most zany, original, and fun people I've ever met. I'm so sad to have to say good-bye. My condolences to the entire Cermola family, Dorothy and family, and to Rich. Thank you for letting us share today's celebration of her life.
Mary said... Steve said...I feel you Cathy. There's nothing holding you back now.
- I wasn't able to watch you go into the sky, but I look out over Elsinore often from where I live and now you are part of that timeless landscape. Be free!
Thank you everyone.
- Steve
- April 14, 2008 11:42 AM
Memorial Service Reading By Tom CermolaCathy was a smart, beautiful daughter who led a very active life. As a child she lived in three different counties, Korea, Japan and in the US three different states, Florida, Georgia and Southern California. Cathy was quick to adapt to the changes in culture, language and customs in each environment. She even picked up on the languages surprising us one day in Japan when she answered our Japanese neighbor’s question of “what is your mother doing now”. Her answer in Japanese, “doing the laundry”. Her experiences as a child presaged the work and activities she pursued in adult life. She traveled throughout the US, visited cities in Europe, Central America, Africa and Asia including several trips to South Korea where she was born in 1957.
Cathy also had an interest in physical activities. Remember, if you can, when Olga Korbut captured the heart of the world with her performance at the Munich Olympics in 1972. In doing so, Olga introduced the sport of gymnastics to hundreds of thousands of young girls across the United States. Cathy was no exception to this craze and went literally head over heels into gymnastics. I became acutely aware of her enthusiasm when she came home from school with a broken nose and two black eyes. The result of a knee to face accident all tumblers fear. We had to take her to a cosmetic surgeon to repair her damaged nose. I wrote a note to her home room teacher to apologize for her absence from school. It was a short, two sentence note but she refused to give it to her teacher. I thought it was to the point: It read; “Please excuse Cathy’s absence from school yesterday. The reason for her absence is a plain as the nose on her face.”
She drifted away from gymnastics to participate in the more challenging of sports such as running in marathons, scuba diving, snow and water skiing and she was a licensed sky diver with several hundred jumps to her credit.
She was a talented artist with oils and pencil. If you have visited her Web Site you will have seen a self portrait in pencil which she did in 1998. She developed a small business, Something Simple, in which she created custom made jewelry. She was frequently called upon to design and make jewelry for weddings and other group affairs. I feel certain that some of you here today own some jewelry that Cathy may have made.
For the last half of her 50 years she battled diabetes every day. Those battles took their toll as she struggled to maintain safe levels of blood sugar. As time went on she sometimes failed to react to the warning signs and signals when those levels were out of kilter. A slow response to those warnings had damaging effects when she lapsed into a coma three and a half years ago and she suffered damage to the portion of her brain that affects reasoning. We lost Cathy in little pieces, just little bits of her gone and gone and gone until she wasn't there anymore. With her reasoning capabilities impaired she made decisions that were harmful to her that led to her final coma and death a month ago.
Her mother and I will remember her as a child, so sweet and pretty, as glamour girl/jet setter flying in and out and always doing fabulous exciting things. We know how much she meant to her sister and how alike they were in so many ways. We will always remember her as she used to be, undamaged. For that we are grateful.
This afternoon will be Cathy’s last sky dive. Her ashes will be spread over the landing zone at Lake Elsinore which she knew so well. We know that those ashes will touch the wings of angels who will take her to her maker and that she will be at peace.
She will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved her.
- robert said...
Dearest Cathy,
Cathy you are and will always be my big sister.You were always there for me whenever I needed you
I remember the visits down in Escondido and the fun we had with sammy and talking and going to lake Hodges fishing.The Holidays we spend together with mom and dad.
The great fun I had watching you skydive.The fun we had at lake Mojove watterskiing,swinning,and fishing with mom and dad.
I will always remember when I was in the the hospital and you came down every night from North Hollywood to see me.That meant alot to me I will always remember that.I loved being at your apartment helping you to make keychains.I love you and miss you.
I know you are looking down on me and want to ease my pain at loseing you. Now, Cathy I know you are skydiving forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.I love you Cathy and will always love you forever your brother, Robert- kelika.1974 said...
You Never
You never said I'm leaving
You never said goodbye
You were gone before I knew it,
And only God knew why
A million times I needed you,
A million times I cried
If Love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died
In Life I loved you dearly
In death I love you still
In my heart you hold a place,
That no one could ever fill
It broke my heart to lose you,
But you didn't go alone
For part of me went with you,
The day God took you home.
Author Unknown- SkyRich said...
I should have been stronger,
time would have lasted much longer.
I sing your song to myself at night
alone I cry until the light
You are with me in my dreams
though it soothes, it seems
I am still lonely without you
My friends are here too
I'll go on in your name
Nothing will ever be the same
I loved you then, and much more now
if you were here, I would have you take your bow
You lived your life so full and now I see
How much You really loved me.
-- shia-