Catherine Ann Nelson

Catherine Ann Nelson (née Grant) passed away April 1st, 2025, at Crossroads Hospice in Port Moody, BC. She left this life peacefully with her husband, Ronald, beside her. She had suffered throughout the past year from lymphoma for which she received excellent care.

Cathy was born in Vancouver, BC, on September 22, 1946, the first child of Pat and Kit Grant. She would soon be joined by sisters, Patti, Maureen, Marianne, and brother Chris. After graduating from Mt. Baker Secondary School in Cranbrook in 1964, she pursued a career in Education, earning first a Teaching Diploma, then a Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Victoria. While at UVic, she spent a summer associated with Operation Crossroads Africa in Tanzania. Later on in her teaching career, Cathy also completed her master’s degree in education.

In the spring of 1970, while working at Vernon Senior Secondary School she met Ronald Nelson, and they were married in December of that year. They remained together and deeply in love for the remaining fifty-five years of her life.

In 1977, Cathy and Ron moved to Haida Gwaii, where she worked as a teacher for the next twenty years. In 1985 Cathy became a mother to her son, Patrick. During her maternity leave she researched and wrote a series of five non-fiction stories, “Women Pioneers of Haida Gwaii.” She would complete and publish these after her retirement. In 1997 the family moved to Cranbrook where Cathy took on the roles of Vice-principal, and then of Principal. She was a highly respected educator, and she retired in 2003.

After retiring Cathy and Ron traveled widely, spending months living in each of their destinations. They made trips to Scotland, Wales, New Zealand, France (twice), and they took four separate trips to the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, where they made long lasting friendships. In 2012 they relocated from Cranbrook to New Westminster.

In 2015 Cathy became a grandmother to Winter Rose Nelson (born to Patrick and his wife Maureen). She was a deeply loving grandmother, planning treasure hunts and excursions for her beloved grandchild. Beyond her one granddaughter, she doted on her nephews, nieces, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, her goddaughter and god-sons and the children of friends.

Cathy made friends wherever she went, and she maintained those deep friendships throughout her life. Her Christmas card list was famous for its depth and even during her illness she remembered everyone’s birthdays. She cared deeply about helping people, and she would not abide injustice. She had the tenacity to fight for what was right, as she did in her 2016 campaign for public washrooms at the Waterfront Skytrain Station in Vancouver. She was active in many organizations working for the less fortunate. Cathy will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her, but they all feel blessed to have had her as a part of their lives.

If desired, a donation to the Elizabeth Fry Society would be a fitting tribute to Cathy.

A memorial service will be held in the reception hall of Kearney Funeral Services at 219 6th Street, New Westminster, BC commencing at 1:00 pm on Saturday April 12, 2025.