CATHY CORMACK

1943 - 2021

Cathy Wagner Cormack (Age 78) Cathy passed away peacefully under hospice care on December 5, 2021 in her Capitol Hill townhouse supported by her husband of 39 years and her devoted care giver. Cause of death was late-stage dementia.

Cathy was born on September 21, 1943 in Vancouver, WA to Walter and Merna Holmberg and grew up in southwest Washington state. She was a popular student leader and cheerleader of the "Papermakers" of Camas, WA high school. Cathy attended the University of Washington in Seattle where she pledged the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She subsequently bought a house and worked as an executive secretary in the Portland, OR vicinity.

In the early 1970's Cathy left Oregon for Washington DC as an executive assistant to the then newly elected Senator Bob Packwood (R-OR). She served on his personal staff as aide, scheduler, confidante and diarist for many years. In 1976 at the age of 33 single lady Cathy bravely purchased a Capitol Hill townhouse on New Jersey Avenue SE, just south of the Capitol. After leaving the Senator's personal staff she moved to positions on the National Republican Senatorial Committee. After leaving the Senate political arena she became a real estate agent concentrating on her beloved Capitol Hill.

In the early 1980's, she met and married James P. (Pete) Cormack, Captain US Navy. They were married at the Washington Navy Yard Chapel with subsequent reception in her Capitol Hill home and tented yard. Cathy's only departure from her Capitol Hill home was four years living in San Diego, CA and Yokosuka, Japan, where her Navy husband was stationed. While in San Diego she worked for a newspaper columnist and in Japan taught English to Japanese service personnel families Throughout her long D.C. residency Cathy remained strongly attached to the US northwest and her Swedish heritage roots. She traveled often to Oregon and Washington visiting her relatives and many friends, and was a mainstay of her Camas High School class of 1961 reunions. As the year 2000 arrived Cathy and her husband celebrated on an Oregon Pacific Ocean beach with dear friends around a roaring bonfire.

On the Hill, Cathy was known as a polished hostess, consummate cook, skilled gardener and animal lover who was devoted to the several pet cats she enjoyed over the years, including taking two back and forth to Japan. An extremely generous person, Cathy made time for everyone. However, in her personal and professional relations she was no pushover and steadfastly stood her ground and convictions. Her refined dignified, somewhat delicate appearance masked her prodigious walking/hiking proclivities. She walked everywhere on Capitol Hill and downtown with a little Metro help. With her husband, Cathy traveled the world including repeated canal barge excursions in France, detailed touring South India and serious hiking adventures in New Zealand, Turkey and the UK.

Cathy is survived by her husband Retired US Navy Captain Pete Cormack. Cathy had no immediate family survivors, but had bonded with her husband's two children and five grandchildren from the Northern Virginia area. A celebration of life will be held in the Spring on Capitol Hill. Interment of ashes will take place at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.