Cathy passed away suddenly on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at Grand River Hospital, at the age of 85, after a brief illness. She will be deeply missed by her children, Mike (Deb) and Sharon Maheu (Ray), and her grandchildren, Ryan, Maura and Nicholas. Predeceased by her husband Charlie McEwan and siblings Letitia (Lennartz), John, William, Edward, James and Ann. Survived by sisters Margaret (Thorburn) and Liz (Green).
Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1935 to parents William (affectionately known as Huggy) and Susan McCartney (nee Murphy). She often recalled her childhood experiences of the blackouts and bombings during World War II. After the war, the family moved from the inner-city project known as the Gorbals, to a brand-new subdivision near the Pollok Estate. They made fast friends with their new neighbours - the McEwans and the two families became inseparable. During her teens and twenties, Cathy worked at many different jobs, including a retail store, a tailoring factory, a hairdressing shop and the Rolls Royce factory. In 1957 she married her childhood friend and sweetheart Charlie McEwan.
In 1964, Charlie and Cathy applied to emigrate to New Zealand, but their plans fell through. In 1965, they packed up their lives, along with children Mike and Sharon to follow family members to Canada. They lived for a brief time in Toronto and eventually settled in Kitchener. They found a home and happiness in KW with family close by and a large contingent of Scottish immigrants that became extended family. Charlie worked as a plasterer and eventually started his own company with his business partner Richard and his brother Peter. Cathy found employment at the famed HiWay Market where she worked for many years. She also worked at Joe’s Camera Shop and finished her working career at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Cathy possessed a quick wit and dry sense of humour. She usually saw the funny side to situations. She passed her time in retirement cleaning obsessively, doing crossword puzzles, gardening, watching Jeopardy, drinking tea and consuming vast quantities of dark chocolate and ginger snaps. She loved spending time with family and her fur babies. In recent years, she attended the Community Alzheimer Day Program at Sunnyside, where she made great friends and was a staff favourite.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Sunnyside Foundation in her honour.
Cremation has taken place, and a Celebration of Life will be held when we can gather and honour Cathy the way she deserves.