Catharina J. Dormans

Catharina "Kitty" Dormans, 85, of Fort Wayne, IN, passed away peacefully on December 7th, 2025. Born on September 17th, 1940, in Heerlen, Netherlands, she was a devoted wife to Louis Dormans and a loving mother to Cindy and Randy Dormans.

Kitty and her brother and sisters faced a challenging early childhood following the tragic loss of their father. Despite this adversity, she was determined and pursued her education to become a teacher. She loved to travel and held fond memories of European trips taken during that time. While both worked and saved for their future, she and Louis began dating. Louis immigrated to the United States in the early 60s, and Kitty joined him shortly afterward.

In Fort Wayne, Kitty initially worked in the dress department of a large downtown department store, a time she remembered fondly. They were married in Fort Wayne on April 16th, 1966. She eventually returned to her passion for teaching, finding her calling working with students on the autism spectrum and those with other special needs, where she excelled at creating supportive and engaging environments.

In 1977, Kitty and her family moved to a farm in Larwill, Indiana. Moving to the country was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, and Kitty loved taking long walks in the woods, spending time outdoors, and tending to her beautiful flowers. In retirement, she became more active in her church community and took many road trips to all corners of the country. Despite never learning to swim, she was particularly drawn to the ocean, loving time spent at beaches from California to the Pacific Northwest.

She always cherished entertaining, making time for family and friends, and was always quick to offer a sweet bite and a hot cup of coffee.

Kitty is survived by her sister Meike, son Randy, daughter-in-law Jessica, and grandchildren Grace, Lily, and Theo. We find comfort knowing that she is reunited with her "Papa" and her legacy lives on in the deep love she shared and the memories we will cherish forever.

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