Cathy J. Smith

SMITH Cathy J. (Thornburg) Smith, age 55, of Westerville, OH, passed away October 10, 2010 at The James Hospital while surrounded by loved ones after a short but optimistic battle with uterine cancer. Cathy was born on November 12, 1954, in Springfield, Illinois, to E. Jack and Maxine J. (Cargill) Thornburg. Her parents, grandparents, and her beloved grandmother Edwina Buck Thornburg, precede her in death. She grew up in Decatur, IL, where she graduated from the original Stephen Decatur High School and played flute and piccolo in the marching band. She attended Drury College in Springfield, MO, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, a varsity basketball cheerleader, and a resident assistant. She graduated magna cum laude from Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL, with a B.A. Degree majoring in sociology/social work and minoring in psychology and composition. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi scholastic honor society. One of her short stories was published in the WIU literary magazine, "Elements", and during her time at WIU she was President of the Social Work, Anthropology, Sociology Student Organization. She attended conferences and presented papers with her mentor, the late Dr. Lillian Snyder. Cathy married Bradley J. Smith in Decatur, IL, on May 19, 1979. They moved to Westerville, OH, in early 1981 and have lived there ever since. Cathy held a variety of positions bank teller at the Millikin Bank in Decatur, Field Director for the American Heart Association in Belleville, IL, legal assistant for Robert H. Farber, Jr., Columbus, OH, and ultimately found her calling as a preschool teacher in Westerville. She enjoyed her volunteer efforts at Cherrington School in the classroom, library, on the PTO Board, and as a Daisy, Brownie, and Girl Scout Leader. She was a former member of Church of the Master U.M. where she was active in United Methodist Women, served on a variety of committees, and taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She is currently a member of the Westerville Community United Church of Christ where she helped to start the Cancer Support Group in January 2009. Cathy taught preschool at Little Blessings Preschool in Westerville for 13 years. She and her dear friends recently opened a new school, Little Lambs Preschool at St. Matthew's, of which she was so very proud. Cathy's interests included teaching, music, reading, writing, poetry, meaningful quotations, the Basketball Buckeyes, National Public Radio, current events, history, collecting the "hard to find", travel, guiding at The Hanby House, enthusiastically supporting The Rotary Club of Westerville, and her granddog, Penny. Immediate family surviving are her always-supportive husband, Brad, and her dear daughter, Whitney. Also surviving are her younger brother, Chester Thornburg and his wife, Barbara, and their sons, Sean and Ian of Port Charlotte, FL: her younger sister, Carrie Thornburg-Bearse and her husband, Scott, and their sons, Maxwell and Simon of West Barnstable, MA; her uncle, Joseph Buck Thornburg of Manhattan, IL and family; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Dave and Karen Smith of Kirtland, OH; special niece and nephew, Jennifer and Tim Roach of Concord, OH; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Phil and Rebecca Smith of Richmond, VA, and their family; and many other relatives; special friends, Alice and Gary, Ann and Rick, Joan and Kevin, Karla and Tom, Dave and Karen, Nancy and Gary, Liza and Ric, Sue; and many other caring friends, neighbors, and former students' families. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the caring folks who made the time since Cathy's diagnosis of such high quality, and to Dr. Fowler and his staff at the gynecologic oncology section at The James and a special thank you to her nurse, Amy Prazak. Cathy told us that she lived a full and wonderful life, was so very grateful for the time that she had, and was at peace. ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING HANDLED BY HILL FUNERAL HOME, WESTERVILLE, OH. Family will receive friends at a visitation from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, October 14 at Hill Funeral Home, Westerville. A funeral service will be held at the Westerville Community United Church of Christ on Friday, October 15 at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Harold Steindam officiating. Interment will be at Blendon Central Cemetery. Flowers are welcome or contributions may be made in memory of Cathy J. Smith to the Westerville Historical Society (memo Hanby House) c/o President Bill Merriman, P.O. Box 1063, Westerville, OH, 43081 or the Rotary Club of Westerville Foundation Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 595, Westerville, Ohio 43081 or to Rotary's Kick Cancer Endowment fund for The James Cancer Hospital c/o Rotary District 6690, Kris Wilson, 399 Hickory Lane, Westerville, Ohio 43081 with checks made out to "Kick Cancer-James Cancer Hospital".