Catherine (Cormier) Mahoney

Catherine R. “Cathy” Mahoney of Methuen passed away on December 24, 2023 at Nevins Nursing & Rehab Center in Methuen.  Born in Chelsea, Catherine lived for a time in Dover, NH before returning to Chelsea where she would get married and raise a family.  Cathy graduated from St. Rose High School and Emmanuel College, and later went to work at Jordan Marsh, where she met her beloved husband, Joseph.  Active in her church and her children’s schools, she volunteered for both the Parish and Parents’ Councils of Our Lady of the Assumption in Chelsea and was most active in the Bingo and annual church bazaars. In addition to raising five children, Cathy performed general office work for the Lourdes Center in Kenmore Square and later retired from Belanger & Sons in Chelsea. Cathy moved to her dream home in Methuen in 2011 where she would enjoy her retirement years close to her grandchildren. 

Catherine was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, Joseph C. Mahoney, originally of Arlington. She is survived by her devoted children Joseph Mahoney, Jr. and Lois Mahoney of Dover, New Hampshire, Catherine and Peter Wonson of Ipswich, Christine Mahoney and Fred Durant of Chelsea, Elizabeth Mahoney of Methuen, and James Mahoney and Nancy Lent of Winthrop.  She was the cherished Nana of Rosemary, Josephine and James Mahoney, lovingly remembered by her sisters and brothers Joan Cormier of Ladysmith, Virginia, Janice and Angus MacDonald of Methuen, Walter and Barbara Cormier of Everett, James Cormier of Hudson, New Hampshire, Richard Cormier of Chelsea, Daniel Cormier and Marta Priftis of Falls Church, Virginia, and brother-in-law Robert Young of St. Albans, West Virginia.  Cathy was predeceased by her sister Mary Young of St. Albans, West Virginia, brother John Cormier of Chelsea and sisters-in-law Pauline Cormier of Londonderry, New Hampshire and Cynthia Cormier of Hudson, New Hampshire.  Cathy is fondly remembered by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, and dearly missed by her most constant companion, her cat Henry. 

When her kids were young, every few years she would save enough loose change for a road trip to see her sister and family in West Virginia, with stops along the way in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Washington, D.C., always ending in Hershey Park.  She loved annual trips to Montreal and Quebec with Chelsea Youth Hockey to watch her sons play.  Most summers, vacations were in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where years later she was delighted to take her grandchildren. When her grandchildren were old enough, she would take them via train to New York City, telling tales of the 1964 World’s Fair, eating at the Automat, and listening to live jazz in Harlem. 

Cathy loved to travel. She explored the world, with trips to London and Iceland as well as the countries of her ancestors in Ireland and France.  A stroke did not prevent her from continuing her journeys, later embarking on a road trip from Texas to Boston with her brother, a cruise to Bermuda with her son and grandchildren, and a family trip to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick where her parents were born. She loved Las Vegas, especially in her later years, where she could visit her nephew, Chris, who she considered another son.  Perhaps her most notable journey was a flight to Utqiagvik, Alaska in the Arctic Circle, where she played Bingo in the northernmost community center in North America. 

Cathy was an avid reader who surrounded herself with books and could not be beaten at Scrabble.  Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune were on every night, and she amazed even her doctors at the breadth of her knowledge. An accomplished cook, she watched cooking shows religiously, carefully writing down recipes, though rarely straying from her own favorites, mastered over a lifetime of feeding her family.  She loved hosting parties, especially in her home in Methuen, where she held open houses at least twice a year. She never had a guest list, everyone was invited, and she never ran out of food.  Her door was always open, the guest room always available.  Nothing pleased her more than when her children’s friends called her “Ma.”  

Family and friends are kindly invited to attend a Funeral Service in the Smith Funeral Home, 125 Washington Avenue, Chelsea on Friday, December 29th at  10 AM. Visiting Hours will be held on Thursday from 4-8 PM. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited…  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or at www.stjude.org

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