Cathy Jennings Parent

Cathy Jennings Parent
WALLINGFORD - Cathy Jennings Parent, 84, peacefully departed this life on November 14, 2024 at home surrounded by her loving family and friends. She was the beloved wife of David Gerald Parent. Cathy was born in New Haven, CT on August 5, 1940, a daughter to the late Charles Ellis and Grace (Wahlgren) Jennings III. The youngest of four children, Cathy grew up in Northford and spent summers on the family farm in Coventry. She graduated from North Haven High School in 1958 where she was active in theater and was known for driving her father's 1929 Ford Model A Roadster, her demure frame having no issue with double clutching; her sense of adventure continued to propel her though life. She tried being a college girl at UConn, but it wasn't clicking for her. She moved to New York City and worked at F.O.A. Schwartz and had fun meeting movie stars such as Clark Gable and Cary Grant. But she missed the country so she moved back to Connecticut and worked at Southern New England Telephone selling yellow pages ads. As a female, she was given the less promising leads but still managed to win numerous sales awards. More importantly, she met her best friend, Barbara Gilloren. The two single gals spent a lot of their SNET paycheck on the latest fashions in downtown New Haven while they both hoped to find husbands. Cathy struck gold first, thanks to the intercession of David's older sister, Adair Luciani. David was living with Adair and her late husband Alexander "Sonny" Luciani at the time. Adair was very instrumental is convincing David that it might be really time to find someone special so he could move out. With a focus on the moving out part. David, upon first seeing Cathy describes the moment as "being hit by a bolt a lightening." He was further enamored by Cathy when David met her family for the first time at the farm in Coventry. Cathy casually picked apples from a partially abandoned orchard, gathered them in her dress, and then proceeded the make the most incredible apple pie David could ever imagine. Cathy, ever since she was a little girl, wanted to have four children like her parents did. She was always happiest she met this life goal. As her children got older, she headed back to the workplace. She kept her connection with the New Haven YWCA as a water safety instructor and then took a position as an director for the Renaissance Club, a program which helped adults with special needs navigate the world. Cathy then embarked on her education quest - she graduated from Gateway Community College and then transferred to Southern Connecticut State University where she majored in English. An essay she wrote, "Still Waters" received acclaim and was published in Folio, the student magazine. After she graduated, Cathy went to the University of New Haven where she earned a Masters in Education. Cathy loved the outdoors and natural beauty. She was active in the Wallingford Garden Club and was known for creating beautiful presentations with wayside plants. She became a near-daily user of Tyler Mill, hiking hours a day with her beloved family dog, Vaughan. Besides her husband, Cathy is survived by her children: David Wahlgren Parent (Lourdes), Grace Parent Halsey (Peter), Anthony Ellis Parent, Franklin Benedict Parent (Rachel Mark)as well as her grandchildren Elisa, David, Calvin, Jake, Henry, Phoebe, Noah, Ulysses, Jane, and Ellis. She is also survived by her brother Charles Ellis Jennings IV (Rhoda), sisters-in-law Adair Luciani and Joline Nivert, her great friends Barbara Gilloren and Eileen Dubois, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews, along with their beautiful progeny. In addition to her parents, Cathy was predeceased by her sister Louise (George) Wisnewski, her brother Jon Jennings, and her brothers-in-law Dean Parent and Frank Nivert. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the Church of the Resurrection, 115 Pond Hill Rd., Wallingford. The family will receive visitors on Tuesday evening, November 19, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, 273 S. Elm Street, Wallingford. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family. To leave a message of remembrance, please visit www.BaileyCares.com.