Cathleen Anne Padden's Obituary
Cathleen Padden passed away on Saturday February 24, 2018 after 6 years of valiant struggle with Wegener’s Disease & the cascade of illnesses it caused. She was 68 years young. She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas & her mother, Catharine Padden. She is survived by her daughters Tracy Wilson and Tina Hoyt, their husbands Don and Chris and her 6 grandchildren Austin, Ben, Kate, Ashley, Reid and Asher as well as sisters Sheila and Margaret, brothers Tom and Brian, their spouses, Guy, Jim, Marguerite & Jennifer and many godchildren, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Cathleen was born at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland on April 8, 1949. She was the eldest of five children. As a Navy Brat, she learned to adapt to all new situations at an early age. By the time she was 18 years old she had lived in Maryland, California, Michigan, Morocco, Virginia, Florida, Rhode Island, London and Texas. Each place meant new homes, new schools and new friends. Her anchor was her great and abiding love for her family which continued to define and sustain her life to the very end.
Cathleen finished elementary school at All Souls in Sanford, Florida. Her teenage years were spent in London in the 1960s at the height of Beatlemania. She graduated from Central High School, London in 1967. At the age of 18, she left home to study Special Education for the Deaf at the University of Texas in Austin. She was a full time student but did not live on campus. Instead she opted to work and live as a House Parent in the State School for the Deaf. It was here she learned to talk with her hands and express full emotions without saying a word. You always knew from her non-verbal expressions what Cathleen was thinking. Her smile lit up the room and the hearts of all recipients. Conversely, you would be in no doubt when you made her mad. Luckily this did not happen often!
While at the Deaf School a handsome man named Henry Little asked her out and not long after asked her to marry him. Those she loved always came first with Cathleen so she decided to become a wife instead of a student. They were married in Austin, Texas at Bergstrom Air Force Base Chapel on August 30, 1969. They started their family in South Bend, Indiana when Tracy was born in 1970 and shortly thereafter moved to Clearwater, Florida where they had their second daughter, Tina in 1972. Cathleen enjoyed being a stay at home mom & found time to work at Henry's Newsstand as well. Weekends were spent at family gatherings & summers were spent traveling around the country visiting with family members who lived in various states. During these road trips, Cathleen would often stop unexpectedly anywhere that looked fun along the way.
As her daughters got older and her marriage was ending, Cathleen decided to go back to college. In 1986 she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from The University of South Florida in Tampa. In 1991 she graduated with her Masters Degree in Business Administration from The University of Central Florida in Orlando. She worked in Orlando until a great business opportunity took her to Atlanta, GA, one her favorite places to live. She spoke often about how much there is to do there & how friendly the people are. The birth of her first grandson, Austin brought her back to the Tampa Bay area. This allowed her to also spend a great deal of time with her parents. Although she worked full time for Bay Care as a Financial Analyst, she ensured that her parents never missed church, doctor’s appointments & family get togethers. On the weekends she enjoyed art festivals, music festivals, outdoor concerts & events at Ruth Eckerd Hall whenever possible. Cathleen was very creative. She loved to draw & was gifted at home decor. Her clothing & the decor in her home represented her fun nature. She loved the beach, boat tours & swimming especially in the gulf.
In 2011 she lost her mother. Shortly thereafter Cathleen was suddenly hit with a rare auto immune disease that almost ended her life. She continually surprised her doctors, family & friends with how well she handled all the new challenges that came along with her illness. These challenges included dialysis, chemotherapy, the use of oxygen & multiple hospitalizations. She handled these challenges always with a smile and a positive attitude. Her doctors often spoke of her "9 lives." She never let her illness define her.
In 2012, Cathleen was able to move into her dream condo on the water at Edgewater Arms in Dunedin which allowed easier access to the outdoor concerts & festivals she loved so much. She developed great new friendships with her neighbors. She never missed a good time if she could help it and good times were never the same without her there. Cathleen lived her life with zest. She always saw the positive side of things and she laughed often. Cathleen believed strongly in celebrating the people you love. She made big deals of birthdays and other milestones in people’s lives. She went to great lengths to never miss a baptism, graduation or wedding. She was strong and brave, she will be greatly missed by all. Please carry on her legacy of celebrating the lives of those you love.
What’s your fondest memory of Cathleen?
What’s a lesson you learned from Cathleen?
Share a story where Cathleen's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Cathleen you’ll never forget.
How did Cathleen make you smile?