Catherine Lea “Cathie” Schaeffer, 54, a lifelong Skagit County resident, passed away on Friday, January 14, 2011 at her home in Burlington, surrounded by her loving family.
Cathie was born on September 4, 1956 in Mount Vernon, Washington, the daughter of Jim & Shirley (Gustafson) Ensley. She was raised in the Sedro-Woolley area where she attended school, graduating from Sedro-Woolley High School with the class of 1974.
In 1974 she married Gary Baker and from that 20 year union her children, Michele & Stacie were born. In 1998 she was united in marriage to Bill Schaeffer, making all of her dreams come true, and together they have made their home in Burlington.
At the age of 16 Cathie began working as a sales clerk at Sears, where she worked for 17 years and for the past 20 years has worked as a checker for Thrifty Foods, (Food Pavilion) cheerfully greeting customers in the Sedro-Woolley and Mount Vernon stores with her beautiful smile and contagious laugh with many becoming lifelong friends.
She was involved in many sporting activities; she enjoyed bowling and skiing, played softball, coached her daughter’s softball team and drove the cheer squad “beater” to games.
Cathie enjoyed traveling, reading and cooking; she read cookbooks like they were a novel. She loved to go camping, a favorite place was at Carlton in Eastern Washington where she would meet family and friends for relaxing getaways and floats down the Methow River. She called it “Carlton Time”. The highlight of her life was her grandchildren, and knowing time was limited she created memories with them by taking them places and buying them special gifts.
Cathie is survived by her husband, Bill, at the family home in Burlington; her daughters, Michele Baker and her husband, Josh of Burlington, and Stacie Horey and her husband Chad of Spokane; two step-children, Nate Schaeffer and his companion Sondra of Concrete and Amelia Stansell and her husband Troy of Warrenton, VA; her parents, Jim & Lorraine Ensley of Sedro-Woolley; two brothers, Rod Ensley and his wife Carol of Lewiston, Idaho and Ray Ensley and his wife Tammy of Birdsview, and her sister, Cristie Lakey and her husband Jim of Concrete; two step-sisters, Annette Medford and husband Ron of Birdsview and Stacy Moody of Sedro-Woolley; 4 grandchildren, Ethan, Catherine and Aliza Baker and Josie Horey; her first husband, Gary Baker, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her grandparents; her mother, Shirley Ensley in 1982 and a grandson, Evan Baker in 2002.
The family suggests that memorials be made to the Skagit Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Care Center, 1415 E Kincaid, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 or Skagit Hospice, PO Box 1376, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.
A Life Celebration will be held on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 4:00 PM at the Skagit Valley Grange, 21273 Cook Road in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor David Hodgin officiating.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.
Share memories of Cathie and sign the online guest register at www.lemleychapel.com
I just read about Cathie’s passing and am so sorry. I graduated with Cathie and I see that she was born exactly one week before I was. Although I have not seen her in many years I have fond memories of her in school and she was always so much fun. She had a great smile.
Please accept my deepest sympathy. May God comfort all of Cathie’s family.
Liz Silverthorn
Torrance, CA
I’m so saddened to hear of your loss. I loved Cathie. I have so many fond memories of camping with her in the 1980’s,and 90’s our kids running around the campsite upriver having a blast. She was such a GREAT mom. Hugs to the family. I’m positive she is in her mom’s arms, holding her little grandbaby and laughing away right now!!
Mary Franks
I remember Cathie from school, parties, life in general, she always had that beautiful smile and happy go lucky attitude. May God comfort you all during this difficult time. Cathie is a truly wonderful person. Cherish your memories.
Joyce Holland
My heart goes out to all of you for your loss and the heartache you’ve had to endure. May the memories of Cathie and all you’ve shared give you comfort and keep her spirit close. My love and prayers are with you all. Larki
To the Family. I am so sorry for your loss thoughts and prayers go out to you all. that smile and laugh of hers was one of kind a very beautiful person.
I met Cathie at Food Pavillion many years ago. We became very good friends. Cathie, Bill and I started traveling together. We went on alot of memorable trips together. I will miss her very much.
Dear Bill,
Bob and I want you to know we are praying for you during this time.
It was a shock to see the obituary. The last time we saw you she seemed
to be doing ok. Take care our friend. If you need us call and we will be
there.
Bob and Betty
Dear James and family,,
I am so very sorry to read of your daughters passing, so soon after losing Bill, hold on to all your good memories , they will sustain you , hope to see you this August, as alwys Bobbi Hendrix
I was saddened to hear of Cathie’s passing. I had known Cathie since her and I were both 16 and started our first jobs together at Sears. Together we learned many valueable lessons (like how to measure a woman for a bra – yes we laughed about that one many times!) and came to have a friendship that lasted many years. I worked for Sears over the course of time for a total of about five years and spent quite a bit of time with Cathie and came to know her well and consider her a good friend. We spent time together outside of work during those years and always had a great time! I continued to see her over the years at Thirfty Foods and we’d always chat and catch up. I heard many stories of family vacations and we actually were planning weddings at the same time. I too will always remember her laughter, it kept me and many others going at Sears when things were slow.
Cathie is one of those people who’s friendship I cherished. I am certain that I won’t be alone in this feeling of loss at her passing.
I worked with Cathie at Food Pavilion in Mount Vernon for 10 years. She always had a laugh for us when she walked by the pharmacy. She was great with the customers. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of her family.
Dear Michele and Stacie,
I am so very sorry that you have lost your most special Mom. I knew Cathie from several different roles of her life. I was a softball teammate, a parent along the sidelines with her at youth soccer games, a mom watching as Cathie coached softball, a customer waiting in line especially to talk to your mom, most importantly…always her friend.
I am sure you both have friends that you don’t have to see often, but you just “click” when you do meet. Your mom and I were like that. She was just the silliest, funniest person…yet she was kind, understanding, and serious when the time called for it. And she was TOUGH!
Your mom was so proud of both of you girls! I always got the updates on your lives. You are so much a part of your incomparable mom. Cherish the fun times you had with her. I know that is what she wants.
I will tell you this…My memories of Cathie will forever be hearing her laugh and making me just about die laughing with her…at antics of you and my kids. Love to you both…you were raised by the best…I just can’t say enough!
Val
Michele and family, I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. I will always remember her kindness, smile and laugh. She was a truly good person.
I worked with Cathie at Food Pavilion for almost 10 years, and one of the main things I remember about her was her contagious laugh. I would be checking in the checkstands in the front of the store, and I would be able to hear her in the back of the store by the milk just cracking up at something. It always made me laugh when I heard her laugh, and it was a kind of laugh that will be so hard to forget. Her cheerful laughter was just one of her many good qualities. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of her friends and family.