URBANSKI CATHERINE G. Long time resident of Hayward, died May 27, 2003 of complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. She was 86 years old. Born Edumenia Griego in Picuris Pueblo, New Mexico on March 22, 1917, Cathy was one of 6 children born to Fidel Griego and Nieves Trujillo. In 1933 her family permanently relocated to nearby Rodarte, NM where she had helped to make the adobe brick used to build the family farmhouse. In her youth she rode horses, helped with the farm chores and tended her own flower garden. Her formal education began at age 10 when Dominican sisters came to the remote valley and opened a school in neighboring Penasco. She graduated from Penasco High School in 1938 as one of six seniors. In 1941 Catherine, adopting her confirmation name, joined the Army Air Corps and served stateside for the duration of WWII. She met her future husband, Conrad Urbanski of Schenectady, NY, in North Carolina after his tour of duty in the Pacific. They were married June 16, 1945 in a military wedding and after their discharge, moved to San Francisco and then Hayward. There they raised their two daughters, Carolyn Urbanski of Oakland and Marguerite (Margie) Eggers of Livermore. Catherine worked in the PTA, typed the school newsletter, made programs for school events and sang in a parent choir. She always made time to sew clothes for her daughters. She was also known for her good cooking. And she continued to tend her beloved flower garden. Later she became an active member of the San Lorenzo Garden Club where she served as their historian, studied ikebana and swapped plant cuttings to enrich her garden. After Conrad's retirement, they traveled the West selling imported goods at county fairs and meeting and making new friends. Together they also made two trips to Australia on sentimental journeys to visit people and places first met during the war. Catherine is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Jerry Ogden and Charles Eggers, her grandchildren, Katie and Christopher Eggers, her sisters, Eloise Samec of San Leandro, Margaret Kirkpatrick of Albuquerque, Sister Mary Josefita of Grand Rapids and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the Hacienda Center of Livermore for the care they gave to Catherine. A Rosary will be said in her name at the Neptune Society, 2419 Grove Way, Castro Valley on June 11th at 3:30 p.m. At her request, funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer Foundation of America.

Alameda Times-Star 6/8/03.