Catherine Carlin

1932 - 2025

Catherine Carlin
10/24/1932 - 07/07/2025
Catherine Carlin passed away peacefully, surrounded by love on July 7th, 2025, in San Rafael, California. Catherine was born October 24, 1932, in San Francisco, California to James William and Anne Gertrude Gallagher (D). Catherine attended St. Cecilia's grammar school and Presentation High School.
After graduation, she began her career at Dennison Manufacturing and later served in the San Francisco Attorney General's office, where she worked until marrying her beloved husband James J. Carlin and moving to Sacramento, where they started their family. They later returned to the Bay Area, settling in Saratoga, where they raised their five children in a home full of love and laughter and built lifelong friendships. In their later years, they moved to Auburn, where they enjoyed a quieter rhythm of life.
Catherine was preceded in death by her husband James "Tippy" Carlin (December 2011) and her two sons Timothy Patrick (July 2017) and Daniel Sean (July 2019), whom she carried in her heart every day for the last eight years. Their memories remained a profound source of strength and love in her life.
Catherine leaves behind a family that adored her: son Matthew; daughter Claire (Steve Silver), and her youngest daughter Rachel, who held a particularly special place in her heart. Their bond was profound, a beautiful testament to her capacity for unconditional love. Her grandchildren Daniel (Maeve), Dominic, and Juliana (Tyler Cliggett) Strazulo were shaped by her grace, encouraged by her kindness, and sustained by her unwavering belief in them. Whether through a gentle smile, a heartfelt story, or a perfectly timed piece of advice, Gama made their world a brighter place. She also leaves behind her adored sister Claire Tedsen, as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends. She was a cherished presence in the lives of all who knew her.
Catherine was smart and had a deep love for reading and an insatiable curiosity for learning, which she carried throughout her life. She also found great joy in watching movies and gardening-simple pleasures that brought her peace and delight and reflected her appreciation for beauty and storytelling. Her life was a testament to love, resilience, and generosity. Her Catholic faith was the steady light she turned to in times of joy and sorrow alike. Rooted in prayer and love, her beliefs shaped how she lived-with grace, humility, and compassion.
She will be missed deeply and remembered always.
Friends and family may visit on Wednesday, July 23rd beginning at 4pm at Duggan's Serra Mortuary, 500 Westlake Ave in Daly City where a Rosary Vigil will begin at 6pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, July 24th at at 10:30am at St. Cecilia Catholic Church 2555 17th Street in San Francisco. She will be laid to rest with her beloved husband, James, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.