Obituaries

Cathy Lynne Pearce

Cathy Lynne Pearce passed away Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, at her Fredericksburg, Va., home with her family and loved ones by her side. She was 59.Cathy bravely battled a brain tumor for over 25 months until she could fight no more.
Cathy was born to Millicent and Austin Tuthill on Dec. 30, 1959, in Mattituck, Long Island, N.Y.

She graduated from Mattituck High School, where she played first-chair flute/piccolo in the school’s orchestra. Soon thereafter, Cathy began study in the field of special education at the State University of New York at Geneseo, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. Following graduation, Cathy accepted a position in the Virginia Beach area, where she continued in the field of teaching developmentally disabled students.

A tireless advocate of those less fortunate, she was active in a number of charities and civic organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Special Olympics of Virginia.

Following marriage, Cathy’s family relocated to the Fredericksburg area, where she again taught those in need of special education.

Earning her master’s degree from George Washington University during her final years in Virginia Beach enabled Cathy to transition to school administration, where she served as an assistant principal at Widewater Elementary School. Although she loved providing her managerial skills to broader issues, it was the classroom where her heart longed to return, so she elected to return to the classroom and teach once more. Her final teaching position was at Park Ridge Elementary School in North Stafford before she was forced to retire because of the tumor.

Cathy is survived by her adult children, Joseph Pearce and Emily Pearce. She is also survived by her mother, Millicent Dickerson; her brother, Richard Tuthill; her sister, Nancy de Regt; and her partner, Edmund Flores.

A memorial service was held Feb. 2, 2019, at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in North Stafford, followed by a celebration of life for Cathy at the Old Silk Mill in Fredericksburg. A graveside service is planned for May 18, 2019, at 1 p.m. at her family’s plot in the Sound Avenue Cemetery in Long Island, N.Y.

Memorial donations on behalf of Cathy may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Special Olympics chapter in your local area.

This is a paid notice.