Catherine Marie Rafferty

Catherine Marie O’Rourke Rafferty left this life quietly in the early morning hours on April 22, 2024, with her three daughters at her side. She was 102 years young. A few months ago, she said, "You know, I never expected to live this long, but I'm not ready to leave yet." What a testament to the wonderful life she enjoyed.

Cathy was born on October 30, 1921, to parents Robert and Kathryn O’Rourke, in Jersey City, New Jersey. She was one of five siblings: Dorothy McHugh, Evelyn Doyle, Rita Fcasni, and Bobby O'Rourke. She attended the neighborhood Catholic schools and church. After graduation, she took a secretarial class and was then hired at The Hearst Corporation in New York City.

The stars aligned to coordinate meeting Hugh Rafferty through this job, as Cathy worked for Hugh’s uncle Henry Curry. On a visit to his uncle, he met Cathy and immediately asked Henry to arrange a date while he was in town. Henry was delighted to invite her out to their place on Long Island that weekend. When Hugh left to return to Houston, he said he had met the girl he was going to marry.

During their letter-writing courtship, he invited her to come for the weekend to Notre Dame University where he was an engineering student. She attended a football game with him, and on a stroll around campus, they stopped at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes to light a candle, and that’s where Hugh slipped a ring on her finger and proposed marriage. They were married in January 1948, the start of a seventy-three year marriage based on mutual respect, faith, and love.

One thing that Cathy shared with Hugh was an unwavering faith in God, the solid foundation from which she lived her life. Trusting God was always her response to challenges, and she lived that faith daily, starting with attending Mass every morning after dropping her kids off at school.

Raising her large family of seven children became her full-time job which she mastered in a loving and supportive manner. “Many hands make light work” was a constant refrain as we pitched in to help when needed. Her ironing board became part of the den decor as she ironed our uniforms and blouses every Sunday night. She never complained, rarely raised her voice, and led by example.

She cheered her kids on at the football and baseball fields, basketball and volleyball courts, and occasionally worked the concession stands. She drove carpools to Holy Ghost School, Corpus Christi, and St. Thomas High. She made her children’s lives run smoothly through her sacrifices.

As her children grew up and left the nest, she began volunteering at The Charity Guild and became a weekly Eucharistic Minister to patients at St. Joseph Hospital. She and Hugh were daily communicants at Mass and formed a bond with the other early morning churchgoers. This kind of faith and commitment might explain their long-lasting love and marriage.

Being available to her family grew as the grandchildren came along. Sunday dinners became a routine and a chance for all of us to see each other weekly. We spent every holiday together, celebrated all the birthdays and milestones together, played games, watched sports, ate great meals, and had fun together. When it was time for everyone to leave, she would stand on the driveway and send us off with her special goodbye wave: both hands waving in opposite directions, up and down, up and down. This has become part of all our departures.

Cathy was a devoted Astros fan and cheered them on nightly. How exciting and fulfilling that the last seven years included division championships and a World Series win. She may have dozed off during many of this season’s games, but would wake in time to ask the score, always interested in and familiar with the key players. If she wasn’t watching the Astros, she was doing her word search puzzles, pen and magnifying glass in hand. This occupied a lot of her time, continuing to use her mind till the very end. Her memory never failed, and she was the one we turned to for confirmation of dates of births, graduations, and other special occasions. She was always right.

Cathy is survived by her daughters Mary Pat, Maureen, and Kathleen, and sons Michael ( Karen ) and Tom ( Frederika ). Husband Hugh and sons Kevin and Tim ( Kata ) predeceased her. She leaves behind fifteen grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren along with numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their deep appreciation and gratitude to Lupe Foty for her care and devotion to both Cathy and Hugh the last five and a half years. It was clear how much she loved our parents, and the feeling was mutual.

Everyone is invited to a Visitation and Rosary on Friday, May 3, from 5 - 7 at Earthman’s Funeral Home Bellaire. Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11AM on Saturday, May 4, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church of which she and Hugh were founding members. Immediately following the service, burial will take place at Forest Park Westheimer in Houston.