Catherine Walsh Coughenour

Catherine Walsh Coughenour
Catherine Walsh Coughenour, 93, of Kingsport, died on Monday morning, surrounded by her family at home, after a period of declining health. She was born in Charlotte, NC, moved to Kingsport in the 40?s, then moved to Fayetteville, NC, where she and her husband, Tom, resided for 30 years. In 1998, she returned to Kingsport, where she lived with her son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Barbara Coughenour.

She was an active member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fayetteville, NC, and St. Dominic Catholic Church in Kingsport. Her many talents included hatmaking, sewing, quilting, painting, stained glass, ceramics, and she loved her work with her children?s scouting activities. She especially loved music, and played the piano until recently. She was a trombonist in the All Girls Band at Central High School, Charlotte, which was invited to play for and was directed by John Philip Sousa. She was an organist as well as church secretary for St. Dominic Church in the 50?s and 60?s.

But her main passion was her family, including 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren, to whom she gave not only her love and sense of humor but also handmade gifts to treasure. She will be missed.

Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Francis and Eleanor Chapman Walsh, her sister, her four brothers, and her husband of 53 years, Tom Coughenour, in August, 1990.

Survivors include her 5 children, Tom and wife Barbara, of Kingsport; Ralph and wife Kathy, Daytona Beach FL; Larry and wife Susie, Fayetteville, NC; Cathy Harper, Yuma, AZ; Jeanne Hoffman and husband Harvey, Knoxville, TN; her grandchildren, Chris and husband, John Taraschke and their 4 children , Adam, Hannah, Jacob and Grace, Fredericksburg VA; Tad Coughenour and Juan Fernandez, Los Angeles CA; Jeff and wife Kelly Coughenour, Denver CO; Karyn and husband Michael Blum, and daughter Alissa, Newland NC; Amy and husband Andrew Carpenter, and daughter Becky; Fayetteville, NC; Cindy and husband Jared Dedrick, and daughters Brittney, Celicia, and Hattie Catherine, Vancouver WA; John and wife Nikita Gearing Coughenour, Ashland, OR; Jamie Hoffman, Manhattan Beach, CA; Chad Harper, El Cajon, CA; Amanda and husband Chris Ritch, Fayetteville NC; Thomas Hoffman, Knoxville TN; special nephew Robbie Walsh, and many other beloved family and friends.

The family extends a special thank you to Alice Perry, Catherine?s wonderful caregiver during these last 16 months; special church friends, Ann Vachon, Bob and Janel Lange, Duke and Charlotte Taraschke, her lifelong friends, Ruby Virginia, Phyllis, Virgie, Peet, Lois, Jean and the Chat and Pray Girls in Christ; Wexford House for the excellent care and kindness they gave during her brief stay with them, and to Eleanor Graham with Adventa Hospice for her loving spirit during these last three days.

The family will receive friends at St. Dominic Catholic Church from 5 until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13th. The Mass of Resurrection will follow at 7 p.m.

Graveside services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Friday, December 15th, at Lafayette Memorial Park, Fayetteville, N.C.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Dominic Catholic Church, 2517 N. John B. Dennis Highway, Kingsport, TN, or to Glenmary Home Missioners, P. O. Box 465618, Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618.

Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Kingsport, is serving the family of Catherine Coughenour.