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Catherine Roraback Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Catherine Roraback
1 Entry
Jamie Roraback
November 13, 2007
As a member of the Roraback family who "escaped" Litchfield county, CT our family would annually travel up to the Northwest corner to what my father would call "the homeland" and visit family and friends. Catherine and my father James were born about a month apart in 1920 and both had a mutual connection to Canaan/Sheffield and Brooklyn. The latter location being where my grandmother Gladys Little Roraback taught during the depression at her brother Dwights private school in Brooklyn, "The Flatbush School".
I was always intriqued on our trek to Sheffield about the little antiquated looking building in Canaan with the simple,yet proud sign displaying "Catherine Roraback,Attorney at Law".
I was about 8 years old when my father took us into the law office where Catherine always enjoyed showing us the family photos from days past....A.T., J. Clinton, J. Henry. We went to lunch in Canaan with Catherine and a simple moment did change my outlook on life. As we were ordering Catherine says in her perfect, stern, yet cordial yankee speak "I'll have a beer". I thought to myself, that's a bit odd, I thought only men drank beer. Growing up in America in that time we were are always inundated with stereotypes as to what defines men and women. I think from that day forward I personally had the courage to learn how to cook, take home economics in school, among other things that I took the risk of being called a "sissy"!
As a young adult I would visit Catherine where she was a tremendous resource of family information, of which I was so incredibly grateful for. She knew the smallest details about any Roraback I would inquire about.
As an adult, I proposed to my wife Alison from a campground in East Canaan. The day after, I took my fiance to meet Catherine, and yes perhaps it was an attempt to impress my new fiance. I attempted to eloquently tell the story of my proposal to Catherine. Now one might think her reaction when meeting a new Roraback would be something like "welcome to the family" etc. She with her piercing eyes looked at my wife and with her amazing quick wit said, "what do you do Alison other than listen to Jamie talk"? It was at the same time very funny, yet also had the ability to bring me right down to earth again! She was the quintessential feminist, perfect yankee, and always worked to insure that all human beings deserve equality, respect and dignity.
I am greatly saddened with the loss of Catherine and she should be remembered for the countless ways she would give inspiration to all she touched.
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