Catherine E. Perron MD

Catherine Ellen Perron, 60, passed away peacefully at her seaside home in West Dennis surrounded by her loving family on February 12, 2025 after a long battle with cancer.
Catherine was born on December 24, 1964 to her loving parents William and Catherine O'Dea. She grew up in Rhode Island, calling both Cumberland and Warwick home. She was a long-time resident of Easton, Massachusetts, where she raised her children. During her final years, she spent her time "over the bridge" in her happy place in West Dennis, Cape Cod.
Catherine, known to many as "Cathy" was a proud graduate of Stonehill College. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and was a recipient of the Hemingway Award, given to the highest ranking graduate in science. Continuing her studies, she pursued her medical degree at Brown University, once again graduating with highest honors. Entering the medical field, she completed her residency in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, followed by her fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, where she would happily spend the rest of her 30+ year career in medicine.
Dr. Perron, although she wouldn't wear her title outside work because of her humility, was a gifted clinician, educator, mentor, and pioneer of patient safety. Her legacy at Boston Children's Hospital will endure for years to come thanks to her dedication to patient safety, medical education, and clinical care. Outside of her routine responsibilities, she also served many years as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics for Harvard Medical School. As a result of her dedication, she received many awards for teaching, excellence in mentoring, and professionalism. She was incredibly devoted to her career, and felt it was a "privilege to care for others' children". Despite all the titles and accomplishments she had, if you were to ask Cathy what her greatest accomplishments were, she would say her three children, Andrew, Mae and Christopher, and that her favorite title was "Mom".
Cathy was a special kind of human being. She was humble, kind, generous, and abundantly gracious which is so rare for such a brilliant person. Her energy exuded solace and comfort to everyone in her orbit; her children, friends, patients, colleagues, and strangers. She not only made others feel safe, but important. Like Cathy, her home served as a safe and welcoming space for many. It was an after school refuge for her children's friends to nap, eat, and do homework and often the location of joyful, and sometimes rowdy, family parties.
Cathy took pleasure in the simple things in life. She found joy in walks on the beach, dipping her toes in the water, swimming in the ocean, and watching birds from the deck of the family beach house; egrets and herons were her favorite. She relished spontaneous car rides around the Cape, often finding new spots to eat, shop, or take in a beautiful view along the way.
Cathy had a wicked sense of humor and at times a mischievous air about her, known for cracking the funniest one liners. She was an avid reader, Diet Coke lover, and New England sports fan, particularly the Boston Celtics. She loved to start crafts and rarely finish them. She was infamous for saying words and phrases wrong, to the point that everyone fell in line with Cathy-ism's and said them wrong as well.
Cathy loved her immediate and extended family. She is survived by her husband, Gregory, sons Andrew and Christopher, daughter Mary "Mae", son-in-law Patrick, brothers Joseph and Sean, along with many beloved nieces and nephews, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. She was preceded in death by her parents William and Catherine, her brother Michael, and her sister Mary.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from Kane Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 605 Washington Street, (Rte.138) Easton, on Friday, February 21, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church, 193 Main Street, Easton at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Easton. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 4-8 p.m.
In addition to flowers, the family requests that you please donate to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation and NRT of Easton.
https://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/donate/
https://www.nrtofeaston.org/support-nrt.html
Family, friends, and colleagues are invited to a gathering to celebrate Cathy at The Chateau Restaurant Stoughton at 12:00pm Friday following the funeral services.