CATHERINE, you know I had to say something..
It is with great sadness that we, her friends and fellow bloggers and genealogists, recently learnt of the passing of our friend, Catherine Crout - Habel.
.
This was so unexpected to most of us and the waves of disbelief and sadness spread quickly., yet I can't think of Catherine without smiling...
Catherine first made her mark in the blogging circles with her blog,
It was a must read for many, passionate, informative, full of family history and always seeming as if Catherine was talking beside us. As bloggers do, we tended to become friends quite quickly. Catherine lived in South Australia, she was very enthusiastic about the history of her state, and interwove her family stories with the tales of the times.
Catherine's love of her family shone through all. She often included very personal stories in the hope that by sharing them, she may have been able to help others. One in particular was about her son, Jarren, who died from measles when just an infant. She mourned him all her life, but delighted in telling us what a beautiful family she still had.. she was so proud of them all.
Rather than tell Catherine's stories, I'll let her tell you via her posts... via the various links I will add here... she had so much to offer...
What I can do is to tell you about my friend, who made me laugh and made me cry, often at the same time.. We didn't always agree, but that was ok. However we were often involved in the same things, such as bringing various issues to the fore...
Catherine, of course, went on to really get involved, working with another friend, Kylie Willison and others...
Catherine loved to see the funny side of things... as she showed with her lesser known blog....
She was passionate about history, genealogy, her family, her friends, her very many causes ( just Google her name), did I mention family? She would argue at the drop of a hat, then tell you a funny story to follow... she had a great sense of the ridiculous, and had a way of including you in the joke. As a former teacher, who never really stopped teaching others, she also loved to learn. We were working together on a project that remains at this time unfinished, but I will finish it for you, Catherine... and to think I spent all that time teaching you how to use EXCEL...
Catherine, ever the teacher...
Catherine didn't often talk about her health, but this one post was an exception... she scared us all, but she laughed it off saying if she could beat that, she could beat anything. Unfortunately, there was more to come...
Rest in peace my friend, while we are saddened, Heaven will be a brighter place for having you there and while we all know that there is a season for all of us, it is still hard to say goodbye....
♡♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
The photos below are courtesy of her daughter, Kirrily...
Catherine, her great grandmother, mother and grandmother...
Catherine with Kirrily
Catherine and Cullen
Catherine and grandson Jay
and Catherine so happy on one of the family gatherings she loved so much.
♡♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
Lovely tribute Cris. As I wasn't reading blogs while I was away I didn't read of Catherine's trauma.
ReplyDeleteSo sad.
Thank you, Jill.. It came as a shock to all. I'm sure she'll be keeping an eye on us all.
ReplyDeleteChris that was so beautifully written, it made me smile and cry both. A beautiful tribute to a wonderful lady. I'll certainly miss Catherine's interaction, comments on our blog posts and her friendly presence. I feel for her family of whom she was so proud. xxx
ReplyDeleteA beautiful tribute to Catherine who was a sparkling star in our blogging firmament. I often think of how many people overseas learned about Aussie language and humour from her. It is still a shock to know she's left us all but you're right, there'll be lots more laughter "upstairs".
ReplyDeleteCatherine will aways sparkle and her light will shine on in her family and via all the passion she shared. I can just imagine her reading this and saying something about 'not bad for an Aussie sheila' !
DeleteThanks, Pauleen, we'll miss her and her sense of humour.
Ah, Kerryn, that was how Catherine was with all of us, she could make us smile.. and cry. Catherine had many friends, probably more so than she realised. She certainly left her mark and will be missed..
ReplyDeleteDear Cris,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute and perfectly crafted for Catherine. Her passing was a terrible shock to all of us. In the coming weeks and Thank you most sincerely.
Catherine's daughter-in-love,
Sylvia
Thank you, Sylvia... I can't imagine how hard this was for all of you. I know that for many of us, her friends, it certainly was for us as well. I truly appreciate your comment. It was the least I could do for my friend.
DeleteHi Chris,
ReplyDeleteJust re-reading this wonderful post and remembering how much it meant at the time, and it still does now. Two years have passed and I miss her more than I can say, but I love the fact that at any time, I can jump over to her blog or one of her friends blogs and feel her presence. What a wonderful legacy to be able to leave behind.
Kirrily, many pass through our lives, some for a short time, some for a long time. All leave a mark on us, whether it be small or large, soft or hard.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, as she was wont to do, covered all bases.. not to be left out of any. You already know how fond of her I was, and am glad to say, still am. I still can't think of her without smiling. I'm glad my post brings you comfort, as I hope it does for many more. 💖