Obituary: Deehr, Catherine Elizabeth
Age 89
(Towl) (Age 89)
Catie passed away peacefully with her children at her side on March 16, 2012, in the Life Care Center of Post Falls, Idaho.
She was preceded in death by her siblings John, Rose, George, and Grace.
She was married to her late husband Vern Peter Deehr for 63 years and is survived by children Vern Peter (Sandy) Deehr, Jr. of Rathdrum, Idaho, Patti Woolf of Poulsbo, Washington, Jim (Kleone) Deehr of Spokane Washington, Susie (John) Malloy of Post Falls, Idaho; 13 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Catie was born August 17, 1922, in Fruitland, Washington, to Robert Edward Towl and Louise Mary Diederichs.
She was the youngest in the family and grew up very close to her sister Grace.
The family moved to the valley area of Spokane, Washington when she was a young child and lived in several places until settling into a home where the family remained on Coleman Road.
She met Vern at a Central Valley High School dance where she attended school.
They both loved to dance and immediately found each other to be great dance partners.
She waited for Vern to return from WWII after he enlisted in 1942, and they married on June 20, 1945 in Colorado.
First child Vern Peter Jr. came soon, and the new family moved to Spokane, Washington where they remained and the other children were born.
Catie kept the family of four children moving with music lessons, sports, dance lessons, swimming lessons, library visits, and everything else kids do to grow up.
She had championship success as girl’s basketball coach and softball coach at St. Mary’s Catholic School for about six years.
Bowling in a league with friends was a great diversion.
She prepared the family for many camping and boating trips, and vacations to nearby states, California, and Canada.
Retirement allowed a big increase in her favorite pastime - fishing - as she and Vern began using their river property in Idaho much more frequently.
Her license plate frame now read “Decisions, Decisions… Do Lunch or Go Fishing?”
She and Vern continued to visit relatives by annual trips to California.
Her children appreciate all she has done for them, and enjoyed getting closer to her and learning more about her in the last few years.
Her great sense of humor, sweetness, and tenacity was greatly appreciated by the people around her.
The funeral will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Spokane Valley, WA, Thursday, March 22 at 2pm.
A rosary will be held at Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 South Pines Road, Spokane Valley, WA, March 21 at 7pm with a viewing beginning at 6pm.