Obituary of Cathy Callahan

January 19, 1959 – January 7, 2021

Cathy Callahan.  Age 61 of Gibraltar.

Beloved wife of Mick Callahan.  Loving mother of Shannon (Niles Townsend) Callahan, Jennifer (Derek) Weyher and Michael (Katie) Callahan.  Dearest grandmother of Nate, Lilah, Mikayla, Greyson and Avery.  Dear sister of Sherry (Phil) Byers, Carol (Jerry) Brantley, Dan (Terry) Meyers, Donna (Tom Mayle) Allard and Susan (Tom) Wojcik.  Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Cathy is now joining her loving parents Earl and Shirley Meyers in heaven.

Cremation will take place at The On-Site Crematory located within the Molnar Funeral Homes - Brownstown Chapel.

Memorial contributions are appreciated to Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. 

Services will be live streamed.  The family encourages anyone who wishes to participate to please do so.  Please click the following link to be directed to the live stream services:  https://youtu.be/urNfBSyfnEw

FAMILY TRIBUTE

Cathy was born in Wyandotte, Michigan. She lived with her parents and a family of four sisters and one brother in Southgate. Cathy attended St. Joseph Catholic School, Gabriel Richard Catholic High School, and one year of college at Western Michigan University. Cathy was beloved by her brother and sisters, and loved them and her parents beyond measure. She was the first to get a call when any sibling was in trouble, and the first to bail any one of them (and eventually their kids) out of whatever predicament they found themselves in. Cathy had unlimited patience with her loved ones and gave them the best of herself. Growing up, her brother and sisters remember having one bathroom for eight people, Cathy snuggling with sister Donna near the heat register, countless fights and making up, and a brother that struggled to get a turn in that precious bathroom. Each sibling had special relationship with Cathy, and she was generous in her love and the bestowal of nicknames to all of them. With her brother and sisters, Cathy helped care of her beloved parents Earl and Shirley until they passed.

Cathy met the love of her life, Mick Callahan (otherwise known as “babe”), in 1991 and married him December 4, 1993. Some may have been daunted by the acquisition of a ready-made family of three children, but not Cathy. She was independent, fearless and loving, and treated each of her children as her own. Cathy was there for every soccer game, event, recital, sickness, test, win and loss. She was never a step mom, but a bonus mom, whose support and wisdom helped each of her children grow up understanding what is important about life—family, love, and care for each other. Cathy believed this so strongly she called them, and everyone she knew, “love”. Cathy was a true gift to her children. She brought life, joy, adventure and hilarity into their home when they truly needed it. “Grandma Cathy” was an even more impressive grandparent, living in the moment and in great joy, showing up with candy, glow necklaces, sparkly things that move, and anything that glowed in the dark, shimmered, or lit up. Her five grandchildren brought her immense joy in her later years and Cathy loved them with her whole heart.

Cathy had many “loves”: shopping, jewelry, clothes, shoes, craft shows, garage sales, snacks, her dogs, Zukin’s Ribs, Frank’s Pizza, the dollar store, Lifetime movies, and especially, the Hallmark channel. Her favorite movies were The Sound of Music and It’s a Wonderful Life, and she would cry every time she watched them.

Cathy loved to travel and see new places; it was her passion for years. She enjoyed countless camping trips with her brother, Danny, and sister, Susie, to Portage Lake. Once married she enjoyed visiting the campground in Grass Lake where she and Mick made lifelong friends. Before raising her three children, she traveled often, and once the kids left the house, she and Mick continued her love to travel to many different places while she was able to do so.

Cathy also loved to gather people together, another way she gave love. To do this, she formed and was a part of many clubs:  Happy Club, which couldn’t have been named more appropriately because of how it made her feel; Euchre Club with friend Paula Orr and others (and at which we are uncertain how much euchre was actually played), and frequent spontaneous gatherings for tea, lunch, cards, street fairs, laughter and fun. A bowling and golf league were a part of her life for as long as she was able; all remember her as a “dynamite” bowler.

When Cathy was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 1992, she had to give up her job as a Hospital Administrator at Henry Ford, which she had loved dearly. With that diagnosis came a life of managing a debilitating disease, and eventually Crohn’s disease as well. Nonetheless, because of her strong will and determination for her illness to not hold her back, Cathy led a vibrant, fulfilling and active life full of family and friends. Even with her illness, Cathy continued to be the nurturer she had always been, caring so much for all. She was courageous and determined to live her life in whatever capacity she could. Cathy was always “fine” or “doing good, love”. Her hope, optimism, resilience and loving nature could never be diminished by her disease.

Cathy is the great love of many. She was a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother and beloved friend. Cathy was selfless, loving, kind, generous, courageous, strong and a sounding board and champion for all. She will be dearly missed and remembered in our hearts.