Cathy lived a full life exemplified by the most important things to her: faith, family, and friends. She was born in Pearsall, Texas on July 18, 1950, to Milton and Patsy Mapes and died peacefully in Frisco, Texas, on December 2, 2024.
Cathy was a Texas girl and lived in several different cities throughout her childhood. In Lubbock, Texas in 1970, she met BJ, her loving husband of 53 years. She was at Texas Tech and he was in pilot training at Reese Air Force Base when they were introduced by her sister. It didn’t take them long to know they were madly in love, because they married just a few short months later on January 30, 1971. She was a devoted wife, supporting BJ during his service in the Air Force and throughout his career as a financial advisor. Together they lived a life of adventure, traveling all over the world and making the most of every opportunity. They raised two wonderful daughters, Kim born in November of 1971 and Kelly born in March of 1975. Cathy was a loving and generous mother and raised her children to know and have a relationship with the Lord. Later in life, she was blessed to be “Gran” to 5 beautiful granddaughters, Ashley (1999), Emily (2001), Lauren (2002), Kelsey (2003), Sarah (2004), and finally a grandson, Luke (2007). She supported, loved, and prayed for her grandchildren fiercely and called each of them her little lambs. Cathy was a loyal daughter to her beloved parents, Milton and Patsy, caring for both of them up until their final days. She deeply loved and honored them throughout her life. As the baby of the family, she was a loving sister to her sweet sisters, Deana and Grace Ann (and their husbands Charles and Travis), and brother, Sonny (and his wife Judy). She was a kind-hearted sister-in-law to Tim, Ron, and Karyn and had many nieces and nephews who she cared for and prayed for consistently. She had numerous friends, prayer warriors, and people who walked with her throughout her life’s journey. She had a larger-than-life personality and easily made others feel comfortable and encouraged when they were around her.
Throughout her lifetime, she lived a life of generosity, service, and compassion for others. She served in many capacities and was very involved at her church of almost 40 years, Christ Church Plano. She was one of the founding members and served on the altar guild and the communion serving team, taking communion to the homebound and those in nursing homes. She cherished the sacrament of communion and wanted others to be able to participate in it, even when they were unable to attend services. Whether on one of her many mission trips to Haiti, Mexico, or Peru or talking to a waiter at a local restaurant, Cathy had no issues sharing her faith and letting people know how loved and treasured they were. She had a way of making others feel so special and important and never met a stranger. She was also involved in many prayer and bible study groups throughout her lifetime, constantly yearning to know more about her God. She put her faith into action by being fully dedicated to God and others through daily prayer, devotion, compassion, and generosity. God’s light shone brightly through her in both words and deeds as she tried her best to glorify Him in all she did.
Cathy was a true blessing to all those who had the privilege of knowing her. Her loss in this life is great for those left behind, but we are thankful for the legacy she leaves and the light she brought into our lives. We find peace in knowing she is now in God’s presence and hope in knowing that our greatest days with her are still to come!
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 16, 2024, at Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Dr., Plano, Texas, 75024. The family will receive friends during a visitation from 4:00 -6:00 p.m., Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Berkshire Chapel, 9073 Berkshire Dr., Frisco, Texas, 75033. A graveside service is pending at this time.