Catharine Fay Grow passed away on September 14, 2025, in Charleston, South Carolina. She was 77 years old.
Cathy was born on June 2, 1948, in Rochester, New York to Clarence Grow and Virginia Fay Grow. She grew up in Pittsford, New York and graduated from Pittsford Central School in 1966. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford, where she loved singing in the choir. Cathy was happiest listening to music and being involved with the Arts. Her passion was working with school theatre productions, and she was an especially talented makeup artist. Her blue Ford Mustang was her pride and joy, and she and her friends have many fond memories of their adventures cruising the highways where they grew up.
After high school, she went on to study at Elmira College, graduating in 1970. After college she moved to Boston, where she studied at Northeastern University, then lived for several years in Hull, Massachusetts before moving to Rome, Georgia, where she attended Berry College. It was there that she met and married her husband, Dick Sidbury; they were married for 42 years until his passing in 2024. They welcomed their daughter Laura in 1982 and later moved to Scranton in 1983, where she completed her graduate education at the University of Scranton, earning a master's degree in Counseling.
Cathy's desire to help people and her own quest for personal improvement and knowledge led her to create a space where others could find the tools to explore their own paths. In 1990, she opened Possibilities, A New Age Bookstore. Later renamed Possibilities Books & Gifts, the store was a fixture in the South Side of Scranton for over two decades. As the longest-running and most successful new age and alternative spirituality bookstore in the Scranton area, Possibilities reflected Cathy's commitment to fostering open-minded exploration, personal growth, and spiritual connection.
Outside of her work, Cathy had a lifelong love of reading, especially mysteries, and built an impressive personal library over the years. That love of mysteries was not just confined to books; she was an avid watcher of detective TV shows, as well as science fiction and other genre TV. Her love of music continued all her life, and she enjoyed going to concerts and the theatre. She held a special place in her heart for animals and always had at least one cat.
Cathy is survived by her daughter, Laura Sidbury; her brother, Ed Grow; her sisters-in-law Barbara (Blake) Eckard, Mary (Ron) Pierce, and Debbie Sidbury; and close friends Kathy Ferris Sayer, Barbara Hamilton, and Gina Pace. Her friends and family will always hold Cathy dear in their hearts as they remember her as a very kind, caring, and gentle soul. Her friendship and love are a lasting gift for us all. May her memory be a blessing.
Cathy was born on June 2, 1948, in Rochester, New York to Clarence Grow and Virginia Fay Grow. She grew up in Pittsford, New York and graduated from Pittsford Central School in 1966. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford, where she loved singing in the choir. Cathy was happiest listening to music and being involved with the Arts. Her passion was working with school theatre productions, and she was an especially talented makeup artist. Her blue Ford Mustang was her pride and joy, and she and her friends have many fond memories of their adventures cruising the highways where they grew up.
After high school, she went on to study at Elmira College, graduating in 1970. After college she moved to Boston, where she studied at Northeastern University, then lived for several years in Hull, Massachusetts before moving to Rome, Georgia, where she attended Berry College. It was there that she met and married her husband, Dick Sidbury; they were married for 42 years until his passing in 2024. They welcomed their daughter Laura in 1982 and later moved to Scranton in 1983, where she completed her graduate education at the University of Scranton, earning a master's degree in Counseling.
Cathy's desire to help people and her own quest for personal improvement and knowledge led her to create a space where others could find the tools to explore their own paths. In 1990, she opened Possibilities, A New Age Bookstore. Later renamed Possibilities Books & Gifts, the store was a fixture in the South Side of Scranton for over two decades. As the longest-running and most successful new age and alternative spirituality bookstore in the Scranton area, Possibilities reflected Cathy's commitment to fostering open-minded exploration, personal growth, and spiritual connection.
Outside of her work, Cathy had a lifelong love of reading, especially mysteries, and built an impressive personal library over the years. That love of mysteries was not just confined to books; she was an avid watcher of detective TV shows, as well as science fiction and other genre TV. Her love of music continued all her life, and she enjoyed going to concerts and the theatre. She held a special place in her heart for animals and always had at least one cat.
Cathy is survived by her daughter, Laura Sidbury; her brother, Ed Grow; her sisters-in-law Barbara (Blake) Eckard, Mary (Ron) Pierce, and Debbie Sidbury; and close friends Kathy Ferris Sayer, Barbara Hamilton, and Gina Pace. Her friends and family will always hold Cathy dear in their hearts as they remember her as a very kind, caring, and gentle soul. Her friendship and love are a lasting gift for us all. May her memory be a blessing.
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