CATHERINE MARY BUTLER
1898-1975
1915 Photo
The name of Catherine is from "Aikaterine", a Greek name meaning "Pure".
Source: Babynamer.com
Events in 1898:
The first railroad was opened across Newfoundland.
Source: Microsoft Encarta 2000
Catherine was born 1 Jun 1898, Whitbourne, Newfoundland,
a part of the Harbour-Main Electoral district. The RC Church St. Alphonsus in Whitbourne is in the Diocese of Grand Falls. Her baptism took place 4 Jun 1898 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart RC Church, Gambo.
Sponsors were John O'Donnell & Kitty Flanagan.
The parish is now called Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish,
of the Grand Falls RC Diocese.
She was the daughter of Philip Francis Butler,
a 'Gandy Dancer' (railroad slang for men who maintained
the tracks) for the Sydney and Louisberg R.R. and
Ellen M. Buck. The Butler family had moved to Sydney, Nova Scotia C1906.
The family lived at 150 Richmond, Sydney. Nearby at 182 Victoria Road, lived the Summers family. It was at the Summers store that Catherine met James. She married Jim in 1920, wearing a navy suit and a large plumed hat. Catherine was a beauty in her bridal finery.
Husband Jim's pet name for Catherine was 'Ducky'.
Six children were born of their marriage. Ellen Mary 1923-1981;
Catherine 1925-1925; James Philip 1927-1992; Thomas John;
Patricia Louise; and Geraldine M. 1935-2006.
Catherine was a devout Catholic. She loved to cook and
bake for her family. Her grandchildren loved her baked
bread and 'toutens' (spelled phonetically), a fried bread dough.
Her favorite pastime was beautiful hand embroidery work. Catherine loved to wear her pearls.
Catherine was never naturalized an American. She said, "I was
born a Canadian, and I will die a Canadian".
She passed away 3 Apr 1975, and is laid to rest next to Jim,
at the Shrine of the 11th Station, Lot 48, Grave 2, Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kenmore, Erie Co., N.Y.
|