Cathy Lynn Minardi

Cathy Lynn Minardi passed away Thursday, August 18, 2022. She was born in Tampa, FL, January 25, 1966. She attended Christ the King Catholic School, H.B. Plant High School where she was a cheerleader, and then graduated from the University of South Florida.

After college, this tiny lady, barely five feet tall and weighing in at 90 pounds, backpacked all over Europe by herself. She and her mother, Norma traveled to Europe together often, once with two-year-old Elena. She was ready any time, day or night for a new adventure. She loved spending time with her twin sisters. Cathy was the best sister and source of the most comfort and fun to both of them. She was their rock, a beacon of light, and they would always vie for her time and attention.

Cathy taught EASL (English as a Second Language) at Hillsborough County Schools and had a real estate and insurance career. Cathy furthered her studies at her uncle's institute, The Lado Institute of Language in Washington, D.C., where she earned a degree in EAFL (English as a Foreign Language.) Her love of travel landed her in Japan, where she taught English.

In her real estate career, she earned the coveted OnLine Sales Professional of the Year for the Tampa Bay Builders Association. Cathy's proudest moment was the birth of her beautiful daughter and the love of her life, Elena. Cathy and Elena shared a deep connection and were closest friends. She told anyone who would listen about how proud she was of her beautiful daughter, that at 23, she worked as a Flight Attendant for Frontier Airlines and owned her own home. When it came to being a great daughter, no one could ask for more. She absolutely loved spending time with her mom and cherished any chance she had to take care of her very independent mother. Never a night would pass that Cathy would not check to make sure her mom was comfortable and sleeping soundly. During her mom's bout with Covid, Cathy stayed close by her side, to make sure she had lots of fluids and even took her on daily walks to the end of the driveway so she could recover fully and quickly.

Cathy was a devout Christian: she loved talking to Jesus and listening to Christian music. She adored the Virgin Mary and traveled with her mother to the site of the apparitions in Medjugorje, Croatia. Cathy had enormous empathy and genuinely cared for others. She was an excellent listener, present, and always willing to offer a kind word and a helping hand. She was loyal and true, a fierce warrior for causes she believed in and if you were fortunate enough to have her heart, you kept it forever. While as small as a minute, she was bigger than life to those that loved her. She had beautiful blue eyes, a warm smile and an adventurous spirit. She was always ready for the next great moment, best shared with family or friends. Cathy will be dearly missed by all who loved her, and the world will not be the same without her. She leaves a legacy of immense love and a connection in the hearts of her family and many dear friends with whom she shared her journey along the way.

She is survived by her daughter, Elena Marie Machado; her mother, Norma Minardi Cohen; twin sisters, Anne Marie Minardi and Beverly Ann Minardi; niece, Ashley Hubley; nephew, Matthew Minardi; and her uncles, S. Charles Minardi and Louis Lopez Jr.; and many cousins. She is preceded in death by her father, Russell J. Minardi; and her grandparents; Calixto "Cal" Lado and Armandita "Dita" Leon Lado and Dr. Joseph A. Minardi and Rosalia "Lil" Ferlita Minardi; uncle, Joseph Robbins; and aunts, Bebe Robbins, Nancy Minardi, and Dolores Lopez.

Donations can be made in Cathy's name to St. Jude Children's Hospital or a charity of your choice.

A visitation will be held, Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 10 am - 11 am, with a memorial mass at 11 am, with Fr. Cadrecha officiating, Christ the King Catholic Church, Tampa, FL. The funeral mass will be livestreamed, https://ctk-tampa.org/. A Celebration of Life will follow in the CTK parish McLoughlin Center.

Cathy's good friend, Marvelous Marvin, will provide the music. There will be food, fun and time for stories and laughter. Cathy would have it no other way.