Catherine 'Cathy' E. (Howe) Newton

CATHERINE "CATHY" E. (HOWE) NEWTON Oelwein Cathy Newton, 72, of Oelwein, died Sunday, June 4, 2017, at Mercy Hospital, Oelwein. Cathy was born Feb. 1, 1945, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Lyman and Marian (Rinehart) Howe. She attended St. Patrick's Catholic School, kindergarten through 12th grade and was in the last graduating class of St. Patrick's in 1963. She received her registered nursing degree from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and was employed as a nursing supervisor with the Mental Health Institute in Independence for 33 years prior to her retirement. Cathy married Gary (Garland) Newton on Sept. 23, 1972, at St. John's Catholic Church in Independence. The couple lived in the Aurora area until recently moving to Oelwein in December 2016. Cathy was an active member of St. John's Catholic Church, serving 10 years on the RCIA Team, on the Archdiocesan Parish Council in Dubuque, and was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. Cathy praised her church by sharing her time, talents and treasures by contributing countless hours playing the organ, singing, being a lector, preparing or donating food to the church festival and taking the challenge of placing high bids at the festival's auction. Cathy was a strong, dedicated, generous, kind-hearted, loving woman, giving to all and expecting nothing in return. She was proud of her Irish heritage, and had a deep devotion and commitment to her family, faith and work. Cathy was an animal lover, especially to her beloved cats, Socks and Red. Words cannot express how deeply she will be missed. We not only have great memories, but also the lessons she taught us that will keep her an ever-lasting guiding light. She is survived by her husband, Gary; nieces, Chris (Marv) Schaufenbuel and Mary (Jim) Hoeger; nephews, Steve (Terry) Hasley, Bob (Barb) Hasley and Tom (Nancy) Hasley; and a brother-in-law, Mark (Maureen) Newton. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Ellen Hasley; brothers, John and Jim Howe; a brother-in-law, Mel Hasley; a sister-in-law, Karen Howe; and mother- and father-in-law, Garland and Helen Newton. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. John's Catholic Church, Independence, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Reiff Funeral Home & Crematory, Independence, where the Catholic Daughters will recite a rosary at 4 p.m. and a parish vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday. To leave an online condolence, please go to www.reifffuneralhome.com under obituaries.