Sunrise 1948; Sunset 2024
Cat with cat friend, 1995
Cat grew up in Easton and Yakima, Washington, and was a proud daughter of her darling daddy, Rueben Gervais, who was a World War II Army medic Veteran, who served four and a half years in the Pacific. Her dad and Winston Churchill are her heroes. She came from humble beginnings but was able to achieve much. Cat had a fabulous, wicked sense of humor, had a lousy singing voice according to her family and did not suffer fools gladly. Cat felt a connection with everything in God’s world and she expects to be greeted by a stampede of all her former pets! She always said if her pets weren’t in Heaven, she wasn’t going there.
School for the most part, didn’t hold the challenge or interest she would have liked. Later in life, she took a Mensa test and passed. She had an IQ in the top 2%.
Cat was a woman of many interests and eager to experience all she could throughout her life. She was passionate, sensitive and endlessly curious about the world. Cat was a world traveler, missing only Australia and Antarctica. She visited most states, enjoyed an evening cocktail cruise on a trimaran around Bora Bora, spent many Christmas’ in Hawaii, ate brunch at the Peninsula in Hong Kong, danced with school children in China, rode the world’s oldest train in Costa Rica, fed monkeys in Gibraltar, along with trips to Mexico, cruised the Panama Canal, Latin America, South America, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Canada. Her most blessed place to visit was Cannon Beach, Oregon, where she felt a sense of renewal. She received the Pope’s blessing from his apartment at the Vatican in 1990, and did the great “theatre crawl” in London’s Theatre District. “Thank you Lord for new vistas and safe travels.” She and Jim had decades’ long season tickets to Seattle Civic Light Opera, Northwest Savoyards, Everett Symphony and Act Theatre, even saw and met the Irish Tenors and she loved British comedy. She supported the San Diego Zoo for decades. There was the crazy three table bridge group that lasted 29 years. She also loved the Drum and Bugle Corps music and went to numerous programs and final competitions’ week all over the country. Also Cat hosted Japanese foreign exchange students.
Other hobbies and accomplishments include: solving complex crossword puzzles, making dozens of comforters for others (she was a giver, not a taker), spoke her French in Montreal, France, Tahiti, Monaco and Morocco. Attended Yakima CC, Skagit CC, Central Washington and Western Washington Universities, she modeled in high school and college and was Miss November in a college calendar, she even made the Dean’s list a few times, she wrote thousands of letters, read hundreds of books that were basically nonfiction, was a bridge player, played classical piano, loved her yard, collected art, played cribbage, was a diehard WSU fan, loved to watch rugby and was a darn good conservative patriot, and she had very eclectic tastes. She was a member of Trinity Church in Everett and Saint Paul’s in Mount Vernon over the years. She was profoundly thankful to the many older women in these churches who blessed her with dear friendships and sage insights. Cat would like to thank her priceless decades’ long special friends, Shirley, Kris, Donna and Jack, Lynn, Ann, Vickie, Carol, Marlene and Donna and Chuck.
Cat said “Life is way too short, do now what you were going to do tomorrow, you don’t know what tomorrow may hold.” She also said “Live like you just got a pony,” as seen on Jewelry at the Anacortes art fair. Cat Married Jim in 1969 in Yakima. She designed her wedding dress. Although her marriage was not “made in Heaven,” (her words) it lasted over half a century… long overdue toast to that. Cat would recommend a Pinot Grigio Vivace, served ice cold. The couple literally built their home in West Mount Vernon, where they resided for over forty years. She adored her home, her favorite spot!
Cat had an extensive list of animals she was able to get her hands on, in addition to all farm critters: elephants, tortoises, giraffes, kangaroos, monkeys, boa constrictors, a crocodile, cougars, possums, chinchillas, and even cockroaches. She even picked up a horse by herself, a miniature colt. What fun! Thank you, Stacy!
God intended her to be “ordinary,” but she proved him wrong. It was quite a run, the good and the bad. Cat is survived by her husband, Jim Hanson and her Norwegian Forest cat Oliveribex Featherdime.
Cat was preceded in death by countless family members, friends and beloved pets, too many to mention, some of which were dearly loved and missed.
Memorial contributions made in Cat’s memory should be given to the Humane Society, SPOT, Noah, the Cat’s Meow, in Anacortes or any worthy animal care center. Critters were her most tender spot. She would say that animals were God’s best gift to the world.
Cat will be buried at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, overlooking the valley she loved. Please share your memories of Cat and sign the online guest register.
Elvis has left the building and now so has Cat.
