Obituary of Rita Catherine Weber

Rita Catherine, named after her mother, but more commonly known as “Cathy” to her many friends and family passed away at the age of 75.  Cathy was born in Chicago, the second of the eight children of Rita and Joe Weber.  When she turned 11, the family moved to Santa Cruz where her father worked as plant engineer for the newly opened William Wrigley Gum factory.   She graduated from Holy Cross High School in 1962.

Although she suffered a brain injury as a young child, Cathy was a kindhearted soul who led an active life in the community.   She was a volunteer counselor at Camp Harmon, active with the Easter Seals Club, The Wide Awakes, and attended activities at the Cabrillo College Stroke Center.   With the Catholic church at the center of her life, she sang for many years in the Holy Cross Choir, distributed communion to shut-ins and was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and the Young Ladies Institute (YLI).  One of the highlights of her life was making a pilgrimage to Lourdes and Fatima with her mother.   Cathy found delight in a good rummage or garage sale, and loved arts and crafts, angels, making and sending greeting cards and playing Bingo.

She is lovingly remembered by her surviving siblings:  Joe Weber, Rose Wilson, Peter Weber, Sue Parker, Mary Riffel, Jim Weber and Teri Ebert, and 15 nieces and nephews along with 20 great-nieces and nephews.   She is preceded in death by her father, Joe Weber, in 1987 and mother, Rita, in 2006.

A Celebration of Cathy’s life will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 1:00 PM at 2670-17th Avenue in Santa Cruz.   Cathy will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Evergreen Park, Illinois in the family plot next to her parents.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be given to YLI, 222 Highland Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

To express your condolences or share a memory with Cathy’s family, please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com.