Catherine Mary Theresa Gilmore

Cathie Flahive Gilmore, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning of Wednesday, August 31, 2016. She suffered for over the past two years from ALS which robbed her of her health and mobility, but not her spirit.

She is survived by her husband Gordon K. Gilmore, daughter Allison and husband Ken Pope, and sister Theresa Maziarz; cousins including Mike Flahive and wife Jean, Katie Flahive, Terry Flahive and wife Lynn, Joe Flahive and wife Patsy, Peter Flahive, Patrick Flahive, Cindy Luedtke and husband Dave; nieces and nephews including Mick Burson, Gabriel Stickland and husband Garrett and son Garrison, Claire Irwin and husband Sean, and Julie Hudzikiewicz and husband Walt. Cathie was preceded in death by her parents John and Katherine Flahive, brother Jack Flahive, and in-laws Kenneth and Cleon Gilmore.

Cathie was also very close to her husband’s extended family including Anne Bielstein and husband Joe, Vickie Vanderslice and husband Jerry and son Michael, Jennifer Bielstein and husband Shane Spaulding, and Holly Savoy and husband Brad. Cathie and daughter Allison enjoyed spending their “girls’ weekend” every year with this side of her family in different cities around the country until they concentrated their weekends in Dallas during the advanced stages of Cathie’s disease.

Cathie was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts on January 1, 1949. She moved with her family to Waco, Texas where she graduated from Reicher Catholic High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Education degrees from Southwest Texas State University and became certified by the American Montessori Society. Cathie used her training and expertise in education as a member of the Advisory Board of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School.

She taught elementary education in Dallas at Children’s Development Center, White Rock Montessori School, and retired from The Shelton School as a Second Grade Teacher. Cathie specialized in utilizing the teaching methods of Maria Montessori to help educate children with learning differences. Cathie developed several very close friendships with her co-workers at Shelton School with whom she enjoyed an occasional lunch visit. When she was no longer able to manage eating in a restaurant they would bring lunch to her in our home. She was not content with limitations and in her career as well as life she believed “you always have a choice”.

Cathie’s generous nature allowed her to donate one of her kidneys to her brother Jack, when she tested positive as a compatible donor.

Cathie enjoyed reading, teaching and travel. Enjoyed travelling with her family until her disease robbed her of that pleasure. Cathie and her husband travelled throughout the United States as well as visiting England, Ireland and Italy several times. They enjoyed a memorable trip with her extended family to South America where they visited Machu Picchu in Peru and the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. Cathie loved viewing art. They would visit museums in every city they visited from San Francisco, California to Florence, Italy.

Cathie’s desire for travel would not be limited by being constrained to a wheelchair. Cathie and Gordon fulfilled one of her lifelong desires to see Alaska even in the mid-stages of her disease. With her collapsible wheelchair they flew from Dallas to Vancouver, boarded a cruise ship and for 9 days cruised the inside passage marveling at the beautiful scenery. Where ports allowed docking and disembarking via ramps, they were able to enjoy land excursions as well in Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, Alaska, including high tea at the Empress Hotel.

Special thanks to Dr. Bruce B. Henry and staff of Texas Family Healthcare. Dr. Henry is our family physician who guided Cathie through her identification of ALS and search for treatment; Dr. Daragh Heitzman and the staff of Texas Neurology Clinic for their care and assistance in treating her disease and easing the pain of the final years of her life; and Second Family Home Care and Leathia Kelly, her Personal Care Aid for her dedication and commitment to making Cathie’s life as comfortable as possible.

A Remembrance Celebration for family and friends is scheduled for Saturday, September 3, from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas 75225.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to the ALS Association Texas Chapter Walk to Defeat ALS. Follow the link below, choose to join the team or donate in honor of Cathie Gilmore.

http://web.alsa.org/goto/walkingtheline