Obituary published in the Yakima Herald Republic on 4/24/21.
Educator, Life Learner
Cathy Lynn Williams passed away April 15, 2021 at 74. The cause was pancreatic cancer. She remained active until the end. She inspired her family and friends by her spirit and courage giving all an opportunity to share love and memories of good times.
Cathy was born February 5, 1947, the daughter of LCDR Roland and Vayle Wilkerson. She grew up military and moved from place to place, never attending a school more than one year until high school. She was proud of her father's service in three wars as a Navy pilot, her husband's profession, and her sons' careers. She danced, drew, sang, and gardened. She knew how to play and loved to give great parties. She was fortunate in a loyal circle of friends, especially Kathy Stewart and Toni Kirschennann. She loved her book club and relished raking books over the coals, or, on the occasion when they deserved praise, savoring them. She had a passion for nurturing both people and plants throughout her life.
Cathy met her husband their first week of Whitman College. She repeated his pickup line for the next 53 years. She graduated with honors in English and a teaching certificate, then moved with her husband to Seattle where they both attended the University of Washington. She succeeded in prying her husband loose for their first trip to the U.K. in 1972 where she introduced him to castles, culture, right hand driving, and great English gardens. In these pre-Google days, she guided their car by map across all London with only one minor wrong turn. During their first year in Seattle, she earned her MA in English from the UW while they lived in a one-story apartment across from the Seattle Times on Boren. The next home was an old farm house in a (then) rural section of Bothell where they grew a vegetable garden and she taught middle school for 7 years in the Northshore School district. They had their first son while her husband completed medical training, then moved to Yakima in 1977 where they lived on a beautiful street with 100+ year old trees and her next son was born. For the next 44 years, they worked together transforming the house and landscape into her favorite garden setting with places for the family to laugh and play. Annual family trips to Sunriver for biking, golf, and skiing (at Mt. Bachelor) for 40 years along with getaways to the San Juan Islands in both summer and winter were special to her. She loved summer trips to Western Europe, including attending courses at the University of Cambridge. In post-Google days, the family joke was that she could now navigate most of Britain without a map. Closer to home, she taught at East Valley H.S. from 1988-2017, including courses to give students college credit, English, and Western Civilization. She gave great parties in her classroom for her students with themes that reinforced the learning. Many of her students will recall the Roman Toga parties and the costumes, which they made. Her students learned to write at a college level and told her that they were the best prepared student in their first-year college class. She received the Crystal Apple Award in 2007, honoring her teaching. She excelled at connecting with students from diverse backgrounds. Some maintained contact for years after graduation. She was proud that she almost never had to send a student to the office for discipline. The culture of her classroom reflected her personality… respect and a passion for learning. Her curiosity about the why of things fueled her reading and passion for travel. She loved live theater, history, cinema, and literature. Her tastes were broad, ranging from Shakespeare to Michael Frayn. Best of all, she shared these with her family and students who in turn were inspired to pursue these on their own.
The family would like to express thanks for exceptional care by Gabriel Lascar MD, Henry Kaplan MD, Phil Gold MD, and Michelle Seelig MD.
She is pre-deceased by her parents Vayle and Roland Wilkerson and her brother Gary Wilkerson.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Don, her son James and his partner Leah, her son David and his spouse Ariah and their daughter Charlotte. She is also survived by her sisters Patti Adams and Linda Godard, and numerous wonderful nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your local public schools.
"School is out, the teacher has gone home."
Educator, Life Learner
Cathy Lynn Williams passed away April 15, 2021 at 74. The cause was pancreatic cancer. She remained active until the end. She inspired her family and friends by her spirit and courage giving all an opportunity to share love and memories of good times.
Cathy was born February 5, 1947, the daughter of LCDR Roland and Vayle Wilkerson. She grew up military and moved from place to place, never attending a school more than one year until high school. She was proud of her father's service in three wars as a Navy pilot, her husband's profession, and her sons' careers. She danced, drew, sang, and gardened. She knew how to play and loved to give great parties. She was fortunate in a loyal circle of friends, especially Kathy Stewart and Toni Kirschennann. She loved her book club and relished raking books over the coals, or, on the occasion when they deserved praise, savoring them. She had a passion for nurturing both people and plants throughout her life.
Cathy met her husband their first week of Whitman College. She repeated his pickup line for the next 53 years. She graduated with honors in English and a teaching certificate, then moved with her husband to Seattle where they both attended the University of Washington. She succeeded in prying her husband loose for their first trip to the U.K. in 1972 where she introduced him to castles, culture, right hand driving, and great English gardens. In these pre-Google days, she guided their car by map across all London with only one minor wrong turn. During their first year in Seattle, she earned her MA in English from the UW while they lived in a one-story apartment across from the Seattle Times on Boren. The next home was an old farm house in a (then) rural section of Bothell where they grew a vegetable garden and she taught middle school for 7 years in the Northshore School district. They had their first son while her husband completed medical training, then moved to Yakima in 1977 where they lived on a beautiful street with 100+ year old trees and her next son was born. For the next 44 years, they worked together transforming the house and landscape into her favorite garden setting with places for the family to laugh and play. Annual family trips to Sunriver for biking, golf, and skiing (at Mt. Bachelor) for 40 years along with getaways to the San Juan Islands in both summer and winter were special to her. She loved summer trips to Western Europe, including attending courses at the University of Cambridge. In post-Google days, the family joke was that she could now navigate most of Britain without a map. Closer to home, she taught at East Valley H.S. from 1988-2017, including courses to give students college credit, English, and Western Civilization. She gave great parties in her classroom for her students with themes that reinforced the learning. Many of her students will recall the Roman Toga parties and the costumes, which they made. Her students learned to write at a college level and told her that they were the best prepared student in their first-year college class. She received the Crystal Apple Award in 2007, honoring her teaching. She excelled at connecting with students from diverse backgrounds. Some maintained contact for years after graduation. She was proud that she almost never had to send a student to the office for discipline. The culture of her classroom reflected her personality… respect and a passion for learning. Her curiosity about the why of things fueled her reading and passion for travel. She loved live theater, history, cinema, and literature. Her tastes were broad, ranging from Shakespeare to Michael Frayn. Best of all, she shared these with her family and students who in turn were inspired to pursue these on their own.
The family would like to express thanks for exceptional care by Gabriel Lascar MD, Henry Kaplan MD, Phil Gold MD, and Michelle Seelig MD.
She is pre-deceased by her parents Vayle and Roland Wilkerson and her brother Gary Wilkerson.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Don, her son James and his partner Leah, her son David and his spouse Ariah and their daughter Charlotte. She is also survived by her sisters Patti Adams and Linda Godard, and numerous wonderful nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your local public schools.
"School is out, the teacher has gone home."
Obituary published in the Yakima Herald Republic on 4/24/21.
Educator, Life Learner
Cathy Lynn Williams passed away April 15, 2021 at 74. The cause was pancreatic cancer. She remained active until the end. She inspired her family and friends by her spirit and courage giving all an opportunity to share love and memories of good times.
Cathy was born February 5, 1947, the daughter of LCDR Roland and Vayle Wilkerson. She grew up military and moved from place to place, never attending a school more than one year until high school. She was proud of her father's service in three wars as a Navy pilot, her husband's profession, and her sons' careers. She danced, drew, sang, and gardened. She knew how to play and loved to give great parties. She was fortunate in a loyal circle of friends, especially Kathy Stewart and Toni Kirschennann. She loved her book club and relished raking books over the coals, or, on the occasion when they deserved praise, savoring them. She had a passion for nurturing both people and plants throughout her life.
Cathy met her husband their first week of Whitman College. She repeated his pickup line for the next 53 years. She graduated with honors in English and a teaching certificate, then moved with her husband to Seattle where they both attended the University of Washington. She succeeded in prying her husband loose for their first trip to the U.K. in 1972 where she introduced him to castles, culture, right hand driving, and great English gardens. In these pre-Google days, she guided their car by map across all London with only one minor wrong turn. During their first year in Seattle, she earned her MA in English from the UW while they lived in a one-story apartment across from the Seattle Times on Boren. The next home was an old farm house in a (then) rural section of Bothell where they grew a vegetable garden and she taught middle school for 7 years in the Northshore School district. They had their first son while her husband completed medical training, then moved to Yakima in 1977 where they lived on a beautiful street with 100+ year old trees and her next son was born. For the next 44 years, they worked together transforming the house and landscape into her favorite garden setting with places for the family to laugh and play. Annual family trips to Sunriver for biking, golf, and skiing (at Mt. Bachelor) for 40 years along with getaways to the San Juan Islands in both summer and winter were special to her. She loved summer trips to Western Europe, including attending courses at the University of Cambridge. In post-Google days, the family joke was that she could now navigate most of Britain without a map. Closer to home, she taught at East Valley H.S. from 1988-2017, including courses to give students college credit, English, and Western Civilization. She gave great parties in her classroom for her students with themes that reinforced the learning. Many of her students will recall the Roman Toga parties and the costumes, which they made. Her students learned to write at a college level and told her that they were the best prepared student in their first-year college class. She received the Crystal Apple Award in 2007, honoring her teaching. She excelled at connecting with students from diverse backgrounds. Some maintained contact for years after graduation. She was proud that she almost never had to send a student to the office for discipline. The culture of her classroom reflected her personality… respect and a passion for learning. Her curiosity about the why of things fueled her reading and passion for travel. She loved live theater, history, cinema, and literature. Her tastes were broad, ranging from Shakespeare to Michael Frayn. Best of all, she shared these with her family and students who in turn were inspired to pursue these on their own.
The family would like to express thanks for exceptional care by Gabriel Lascar MD, Henry Kaplan MD, Phil Gold MD, and Michelle Seelig MD.
She is pre-deceased by her parents Vayle and Roland Wilkerson and her brother Gary Wilkerson.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Don, her son James and his partner Leah, her son David and his spouse Ariah and their daughter Charlotte. She is also survived by her sisters Patti Adams and Linda Godard, and numerous wonderful nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your local public schools.
"School is out, the teacher has gone home."
Educator, Life Learner
Cathy Lynn Williams passed away April 15, 2021 at 74. The cause was pancreatic cancer. She remained active until the end. She inspired her family and friends by her spirit and courage giving all an opportunity to share love and memories of good times.
Cathy was born February 5, 1947, the daughter of LCDR Roland and Vayle Wilkerson. She grew up military and moved from place to place, never attending a school more than one year until high school. She was proud of her father's service in three wars as a Navy pilot, her husband's profession, and her sons' careers. She danced, drew, sang, and gardened. She knew how to play and loved to give great parties. She was fortunate in a loyal circle of friends, especially Kathy Stewart and Toni Kirschennann. She loved her book club and relished raking books over the coals, or, on the occasion when they deserved praise, savoring them. She had a passion for nurturing both people and plants throughout her life.
Cathy met her husband their first week of Whitman College. She repeated his pickup line for the next 53 years. She graduated with honors in English and a teaching certificate, then moved with her husband to Seattle where they both attended the University of Washington. She succeeded in prying her husband loose for their first trip to the U.K. in 1972 where she introduced him to castles, culture, right hand driving, and great English gardens. In these pre-Google days, she guided their car by map across all London with only one minor wrong turn. During their first year in Seattle, she earned her MA in English from the UW while they lived in a one-story apartment across from the Seattle Times on Boren. The next home was an old farm house in a (then) rural section of Bothell where they grew a vegetable garden and she taught middle school for 7 years in the Northshore School district. They had their first son while her husband completed medical training, then moved to Yakima in 1977 where they lived on a beautiful street with 100+ year old trees and her next son was born. For the next 44 years, they worked together transforming the house and landscape into her favorite garden setting with places for the family to laugh and play. Annual family trips to Sunriver for biking, golf, and skiing (at Mt. Bachelor) for 40 years along with getaways to the San Juan Islands in both summer and winter were special to her. She loved summer trips to Western Europe, including attending courses at the University of Cambridge. In post-Google days, the family joke was that she could now navigate most of Britain without a map. Closer to home, she taught at East Valley H.S. from 1988-2017, including courses to give students college credit, English, and Western Civilization. She gave great parties in her classroom for her students with themes that reinforced the learning. Many of her students will recall the Roman Toga parties and the costumes, which they made. Her students learned to write at a college level and told her that they were the best prepared student in their first-year college class. She received the Crystal Apple Award in 2007, honoring her teaching. She excelled at connecting with students from diverse backgrounds. Some maintained contact for years after graduation. She was proud that she almost never had to send a student to the office for discipline. The culture of her classroom reflected her personality… respect and a passion for learning. Her curiosity about the why of things fueled her reading and passion for travel. She loved live theater, history, cinema, and literature. Her tastes were broad, ranging from Shakespeare to Michael Frayn. Best of all, she shared these with her family and students who in turn were inspired to pursue these on their own.
The family would like to express thanks for exceptional care by Gabriel Lascar MD, Henry Kaplan MD, Phil Gold MD, and Michelle Seelig MD.
She is pre-deceased by her parents Vayle and Roland Wilkerson and her brother Gary Wilkerson.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Don, her son James and his partner Leah, her son David and his spouse Ariah and their daughter Charlotte. She is also survived by her sisters Patti Adams and Linda Godard, and numerous wonderful nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your local public schools.
"School is out, the teacher has gone home."
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