Catherine Elisabeth (Moon) Waddington, 49, died December 8, 2012, surrounded by family in Reading, Massachusetts.
Cathy was born on October 21, 1963 in Ithaca, New York. She spent her childhood in Princeton, New Jersey and Ithaca, along with many trips to Brooklyn, New York to visit her grandparents. Cathy graduated from Ithaca High School in 1981.
In 1985, Cathy graduated from SUNY Cortland with a degree in Elementary Education and Mathematics. She spent three years teaching third grade students in New Jersey. In 2001 she co-authored A Travel Guide Through Children’s Literature.
In 1988, Cathy moved to Hermiston, Oregon and married George R. Waddington, Jr. of Oneonta, New York. During their time in Oregon, Cathy and George joyously welcomed their three children into the world, Anneliese, Calum, and Mariella. Cathy spent her evenings teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to adults, discovering a career to which she would dedicate much of her life.
In 1996, Cathy and her family moved to Reading, Massachusetts, and Cathy joined the Adult ESL program through the North Suburban YMCA. Cathy spent 15 years teaching students from around the world. One of her greatest joys was sharing in the culture and lives of her students as a mentor, a confidant, and a friend. She was a loyal supporter of her students’ transition to this country. In 2010, she proudly received the Massachusetts’ Coalition for Adult Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Cathy filled her life with happiness, laughter, and the love of family and dear friends. She took joy in gardening, quilting, biking, and spending time in nature.
Cathy is survived by her husband, George R. Waddington, Jr., her children, Anneliese, Calum, Mariella, her parents, Francis and Elizabeth Moon, her sisters Patricia West and husband Michael, and Elizabeth Roth and husband Robert, George’s sister Margot Vagliardo and husband James, and beloved nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Family and friends are kindly invited to gather and share remembrances with the family in Doherty Barile Family Funeral Home 11 Linden St. READING on Thursday from 6-9pm. A Funeral Mass Celebrating Catherine’s Eternal Life will be held Friday December 14 at 10:30am in St. Athanasius Church, 300 Haverhill St., Reading, MA. Burial will take place in Forest Glen Cemetery, Reading
In lieu of flowers, please honor Catherine by making donations in her memory to the North Suburban YMCA 2013 Annual Fund: In Memory of Cathy Waddington 137 Lexington St. Woburn, MA 01801 or at http://www.ymcaboston.org/woburn/northsuburban-giving/donate-now.