Obituary of Catherine Veronica Pereira

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Catherine Pereira announces her passing on April 27, 2014. Our beautiful and devoted Mother died peacefully at her Soquel home, her loving family at her bedside. She was 83 years old. Deeply proud of her Irish and Scottish heritage, Cathie was the first born child of Thomas and Catherine Lynch, who raised their family in the Bronx, New York. Growing up during the Depression, Cathie had fond memories of New York; ice skating in Central Park and, along with her siblings, entertaining neighbors with rooftop theatrical performances. The family relocated west to Sacramento, CA in 1948, and after visiting and falling in love with Santa Cruz, Cathie and her husband moved to the area. Cathie has been a resident of Soquel for 51 years. Cathie will be remembered as a vibrant and loving mother, sister, aunt, neighbor, and friend. Well known for her considerable passion and love of music, many will recall seeing Cathie dancing in any number of settings, most recently at the Capitola Twilight concert series. For several years Cathie sang alto in the Cabrillo College Choir, highlights from this time include performing Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with the Cabrillo symphony and traveling to Europe to perform in age old churches. Highly intelligent, Cathie was an avid reader and lifelong learner. Particularly interested in nonfiction, Cathie strongly believed knowledge and information were essential to self-realization and empowerment. Eager to share this belief, Cathie regularly plied family and friends with articles, newspaper clippings, and books. Cathie made friends easily as her humor and warmth were irresistible. The family would like to note two special groups of friends. For over thirty years, Cathie and her walking friends covered hundreds of miles with daily walks through the woods and by the shore. Cathie participated in a parent co-op nursery school and many of these parents developed friendships, dining and traveling together for years-- remarkably, the group continues to assemble. Catherine Pereira leaves her children: sons Brian and Mark and daughters Catherine De Souza, Annabelle, Heather, and Amanda, her son in-law, Ian Crosby, and her brother, Thomas Lynch. Catherine Pereira was preceded in death by her sisters; Peggy Morton and Marie Garay; brother Gerard Lynch, and her son Sean Pereira. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to one of the following organizations: Hospice of Santa Cruz, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Relief Services, or the Friends of the Santa Cruz Library. A memorial mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Capitola on May 24 at 11:00 am. She will be laid to rest beside her beloved son Sean, at Soquel Cemetery in a private ceremony. Please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com to light a candle online and share your thoughts and prayers with her family.