On Saturday, December 21, 2024, Catherine A Connolly left this world to join her beloved husband, Tim, who has been waiting patiently for her for the past eight years in God’s eternal paradise. Surrounded by her loving family at her daughter’s home in Oro Valley, Arizona, Catherine passed away peacefully at the age of 92.
Catherine was born on July 16,1932, to Fred and Gertrude Bravo in Stockton, California. Fred and Gertrude provided her with a wonderful childhood, filled with love and joy. They nurtured within Catherine traits that she literally carried throughout her life – a quickness to smile and laugh, a fondness for opera, a love of God and her Catholic faith, and an oversized heart filled with love she generously shared with friends and family.
After graduating from Mountain View High School in 1950, Catherine coupled her love for people with her thirst for education, earning her nursing degree in 1955 from the O’Connor Hospital School of Nursing. That same year, she went on a blind date with a young Naval officer that wonderfully changed the trajectory of her life – and turned into a loving 60-years-long marriage with Tim.
In her new role as “Navy Wife”, Catherine relished the adventures and excitement of each of Tim’s duty stations over his 30-year career. These included California, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Virginia, and Rhode Island, as well as international assignments in Japan and Guam. And along the way, they incrementally grew their family, ultimately deciding that seven children made the ideal family.
Upon Tim’s retirement, they continued their wanderlust by selling their house in Virginia and becoming “full-time RV’ers”. They would plan expeditions to include visits with friends and family as favorite destinations, and probably covered all 50 states in the process. Catherine’s love of the California coast would frequently stop the wheels from rolling (often for several weeks at a time). In 2001, they put down roots again and chose a home base in Tucson, but still continued RV’ing for several more years.
But Catherine’s greatest treasure was her family. As mentioned, she and Tim lovingly raised seven children: Timothy P. Connolly (Teresa) of Williston, VT; the late Mary Eadie (John) of Annandale, VA; Thomas Connolly (Myoo) of Springfield, VA; Colleen Page (Steve) of Oro Valley, AZ; the late Cecilia Matlock (Tim) of Palmer, AK; Patrick Connolly of Hsinchu, Taiwan; and James Connolly (Tara) of Chantilly, VA. Her children gave her fifteen grandchildren to love and spoil – Timothy J. Connolly, the late Ivan Connolly, Ben Connolly, Kate Quinn, Catherine Eadie, Ann Bubak, Daniel Page, Matt Page, Sara Page, Sam Matlock, Molly Matlock, Ben Matlock, Max Matlock, Jack Matlock, and Ava Laigle. And the Connolly legacy continues with her four great-grandsons, all of whom spent time on her lap enjoying their fair share of hugs and kisses from “Nana”.
Indeed, the light of Catherine’s candle has dimmed on each of us. But the light of her life will be with us forever in our memories, and she will be missed.
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