Obituary for Doris Cate "Catie" Morgan (Cate)
Doris Cate “Catie” Morgan passed away on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 93 years of age. She and her twin sister Dorothy were born in Allen, Texas to John Buford and Bessie (Chandler) Cate on Saturday, August 19, 1927. To her family, she was Doris. To her friends and extended family, she was always Catie. When their father died in 1934, their mother struggled and moved the family to Dallas to start over. During this time, Doris, Dorothy and their older brother John were sent to Sherman, Texas, where they lived for about a year and a half at the Supreme Forest Woodman Circle Home for Aged Members and Children, a home for widows and orphans. She never talked much about the experience. When asked, she would tell people how big and beautiful the home was, how well they were treated and how much she missed her mother. Finally, they left Sherman and were reunited with their mother and older sisters Martha and Billie in Dallas. Catie attended Dallas schools, graduating from Crozier Tech High School in 1944. She started working at Bryant’s Pharmacy on Oak Lawn while still in school and continued after graduation. After Bryant’s, she worked for the American Petroleum Institute for several years.
On October 27, 1950, she and Joe M. Morgan were married at East Dallas Christian Church. In December 1954, they moved to Irving and in April 1955 their son Joe Jr. (Jody) was born. Catie was a stay-at-home mom until Jody started school. At that point she began working as a secretary in the Irving Independent School District. Her first assignment was J.O. Schulze Elementary School where Harry Teal was Principal. She was an amazing typist, though she always said she barely passed her typing classes because she used the class time to type notes to her friends rather than do her assignments. Not long after she started working at Schulze, she was typing a letter for Mr. Teal and noticed him standing in his doorway watching her type. She asked him if he needed something and he said no, that he was watching because he had never heard anyone type that fast and thought she was holding one key down the whole time. She was not. After Schulze, she moved across town with Mr. Teal and was part of the team that opened Travis Junior High School. After Travis, she moved to the IISD Administration Building where she was Secretary to the Assistant Superintendent, a position she held until her retirement in 1982.
She loved to travel, both domestically and abroad. She loved Ireland and visited several times. She also took trips to the Far East, visiting Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. She was a lifelong member of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. She was a member of First Christian Church of Irving, Disciples of Christ for sixty four years. At First Christian, she taught Sunday school and served as a Deaconess. She was one of the first two women to be elected as a Church Elder and later became the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the General Board. She and her dear friend, Dora Faulkner, started the church’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner, a tradition that continues to this day. She was a member of several groups in Irving, including the Irving Retired Teachers Association and the Irving Book Review Club. She was a great, self-taught cook and loved to share that talent with family and friends. She would tell how, shortly before she got married, her mother took her to the kitchen and showed her how to cut up a chicken, telling her that even though she didn’t know how to cook anything, she should at least know how to cut up a chicken. She never forgot. She also loved her dogs. In fact, she jokingly (I hope) told someone that if she had known about toy poodles back in the fifties, Jody might not be here. She was something.
Catie is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband of 66 years, Joe, her sisters Martha Taylor, Billie Balfour, her twin sister Dorothy Walls, her brother John B. Cate and nephew Robert D. Reed. Left to cherish her memory are son Joe Morgan and wife Linda along with numerous extended loving family and friends. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 at the Allen Cemetery, 400 E. McDermott Dr. in Allen, TX. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
The family would like to recognize and thank all of the folks at Avante Rehabilitation Center in Irving. The relationship with Avante began several years ago when Joe needed rehab after an illness. He needed rehab several more times in the ensuing years and Avante was able to provide those services each and every time. In September 2016, Catie and Joe moved to Avante as residents. It is hard to find the words to adequately express our gratitude for the love and care the folks at Avante provided, not only to Catie and Joe, but to Jody and Linda, as well. We are proud to be members of the Avante family. Thanks, Philip, and thanks to all of the staff at Avante. We love you guys. Special thanks, as well, to Mrs. Dorothy Spurrier, who moved in with Catie after Joe passed and was her roommate for over 3 years. We love you, and we thank you for keeping an eye on Catie as her memory declined. Your presence made her world a better place.
The family request in lieu of flowers, donations be made to First Christian Church of Irving, 104 W. Grauwyler Rd., Irving, TX, 75061 or to an animal shelter of your choosing.
A memorial service in memory of Catie will be held at 11:00a.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at First Christian Church of Irving, 104 W. Grauwyler Rd., Irving, TX, 75061.
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On October 27, 1950, she and Joe M. Morgan were married at East Dallas Christian Church. In December 1954, they moved to Irving and in April 1955 their son Joe Jr. (Jody) was born. Catie was a stay-at-home mom until Jody started school. At that point she began working as a secretary in the Irving Independent School District. Her first assignment was J.O. Schulze Elementary School where Harry Teal was Principal. She was an amazing typist, though she always said she barely passed her typing classes because she used the class time to type notes to her friends rather than do her assignments. Not long after she started working at Schulze, she was typing a letter for Mr. Teal and noticed him standing in his doorway watching her type. She asked him if he needed something and he said no, that he was watching because he had never heard anyone type that fast and thought she was holding one key down the whole time. She was not. After Schulze, she moved across town with Mr. Teal and was part of the team that opened Travis Junior High School. After Travis, she moved to the IISD Administration Building where she was Secretary to the Assistant Superintendent, a position she held until her retirement in 1982.
She loved to travel, both domestically and abroad. She loved Ireland and visited several times. She also took trips to the Far East, visiting Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. She was a lifelong member of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. She was a member of First Christian Church of Irving, Disciples of Christ for sixty four years. At First Christian, she taught Sunday school and served as a Deaconess. She was one of the first two women to be elected as a Church Elder and later became the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the General Board. She and her dear friend, Dora Faulkner, started the church’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner, a tradition that continues to this day. She was a member of several groups in Irving, including the Irving Retired Teachers Association and the Irving Book Review Club. She was a great, self-taught cook and loved to share that talent with family and friends. She would tell how, shortly before she got married, her mother took her to the kitchen and showed her how to cut up a chicken, telling her that even though she didn’t know how to cook anything, she should at least know how to cut up a chicken. She never forgot. She also loved her dogs. In fact, she jokingly (I hope) told someone that if she had known about toy poodles back in the fifties, Jody might not be here. She was something.
Catie is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband of 66 years, Joe, her sisters Martha Taylor, Billie Balfour, her twin sister Dorothy Walls, her brother John B. Cate and nephew Robert D. Reed. Left to cherish her memory are son Joe Morgan and wife Linda along with numerous extended loving family and friends. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 at the Allen Cemetery, 400 E. McDermott Dr. in Allen, TX. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
The family would like to recognize and thank all of the folks at Avante Rehabilitation Center in Irving. The relationship with Avante began several years ago when Joe needed rehab after an illness. He needed rehab several more times in the ensuing years and Avante was able to provide those services each and every time. In September 2016, Catie and Joe moved to Avante as residents. It is hard to find the words to adequately express our gratitude for the love and care the folks at Avante provided, not only to Catie and Joe, but to Jody and Linda, as well. We are proud to be members of the Avante family. Thanks, Philip, and thanks to all of the staff at Avante. We love you guys. Special thanks, as well, to Mrs. Dorothy Spurrier, who moved in with Catie after Joe passed and was her roommate for over 3 years. We love you, and we thank you for keeping an eye on Catie as her memory declined. Your presence made her world a better place.
The family request in lieu of flowers, donations be made to First Christian Church of Irving, 104 W. Grauwyler Rd., Irving, TX, 75061 or to an animal shelter of your choosing.
A memorial service in memory of Catie will be held at 11:00a.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at First Christian Church of Irving, 104 W. Grauwyler Rd., Irving, TX, 75061.
To View Tribute Slideshow Please Click Here
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