Obituary for Catherine Tracy Howarth
Catherine (Cay) Comiso Tracy Howarth, age 94, died on Saturday, July 9, 2022, surrounded by her family in the care of Hospice at Sun City Center Hospice Home, Ruskin, FL.
Cay was born May 4, 1928, in Callicoon, NY. She lived in Callicoon until 16 years of age and was raised by her grandmother, Elizabeth Buchana, after her mother died when she was 8 years old. She then moved to Port Jervis, NY and subsequently settled in Middletown, NY where she graduated high school and married Kenneth W. Howarth Sr.
Ken and Cay celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in October 2007.
The Civil Air Patrol recruited Cay while she was still in high school. It was here that she was trained in Morse Code, cloud formation analysis, identification of enemy planes, navigation, and more during WWII.
Post WWII, Cay began work at a rubber plant repairing life vests and lifeboats for our military soldiers. She also had the honor of being elected the very first female Watch Captain after the formation of the City of Middletown Neighborhood Watch Program.
In the late 1960’s, Cay’s career took off when she accepted a position with the Times Herald Record newspaper in Middletown, NY. She was tasked with the job of creating advertisements. Cay had a long and rewarding career with the Record and spoke often of her days in the office. She also worked with a local newspaper in Pine Bush, NY to assist with investigative
reporting..
In her spare time, Cay enjoyed spending it outdoors in her garden. Some of her best accomplishments grew here and gave her children and grandchildren fond memories of picking raspberries and strawberries every year.
Over the past few years, Cay learned to truly appreciate the little things in life and found beauty and grandeur in her surroundings. She was a connoisseur of music with the voice of an angel. She was the type of
woman who would randomly start singing God Bless America at the top of her lungs and everybody would stop what they were doing to listen and appreciate her voice and passion. When Cay spoke or sang, people listened.
As she did throughout her entire life, Cay fought with a fierce toughness in her final years, making sure she stayed on this earth long enough to meet her great-grandchildren and left this world in a traditional Howarth fashion.
As Frank Sinatra would say, she did it “my way.” She had an air of authority about her that came from a combination of wisdom, experience and being well read. She loved her family and country fiercely to her last day.
Cay is survived by three loving children and their spouses, Karen Klepinger, Brenda Giraldi (Frank), Russell Howarth (Tammy) and daughter-in-law MaryAnn Howarth. Cay was blessed to have many grandchildren
and great-children in her life. She will be greatly missed by Maria Everett-Sebasta (Wayne), Alicia Sander (Joe), Marcy Elwood Ballard (David), Nichole Meuse (Rudy Hesse), Shanna Howarth Hutton, Kenneth W. Howarth III (Brittney), Kristina Howarth, Cory Howarth, Kayla Howarth (Andrew Estep), Kelsey Hobson (Jeremy). She also had many great-grandchildren who all brought great joy to her heart. Robert and Tristin Everett, Joshua Sebasta, Joseph, Nicholas, and Anthony Sander, Sydney
and Kaitlyn Ballard, Caleb Meuse, Aislinn and Celise Hutton, Ronan Howarth, Avery and Owen Estep, and Harlow Hobson. She also has many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved her dearly.
She is predeceased by her husband, Kenneth W. Howarth Sr, and 2 sons, John Howarth, and Kenneth W. Howarth Jr, son-in-law, Dean Klepinger, and a great grandson, Lazarus Jude Howarth. She was also predeceased by her mother, Mary Teresa Comiso and father James Victor Comiso, 2 sisters, Betty-Ann Comiso, Patricia Sobolewski, 2 brothers, James Comiso
Jr., Richard Comiso, her step-father George Tracy, and step-sister Joan Tracy.
Family and friends may visit on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave, Middletown, NY from 2:00pm-4:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm.
Services will be held on Friday, July 15, 2022 at 11:00am, at St. Joseph Church, 149 Cottage St, Middletown, NY 10940.
Burial will be immediately following the mass in the Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Craigville Rd, Goshen, NY 10924.
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Cay was born May 4, 1928, in Callicoon, NY. She lived in Callicoon until 16 years of age and was raised by her grandmother, Elizabeth Buchana, after her mother died when she was 8 years old. She then moved to Port Jervis, NY and subsequently settled in Middletown, NY where she graduated high school and married Kenneth W. Howarth Sr.
Ken and Cay celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in October 2007.
The Civil Air Patrol recruited Cay while she was still in high school. It was here that she was trained in Morse Code, cloud formation analysis, identification of enemy planes, navigation, and more during WWII.
Post WWII, Cay began work at a rubber plant repairing life vests and lifeboats for our military soldiers. She also had the honor of being elected the very first female Watch Captain after the formation of the City of Middletown Neighborhood Watch Program.
In the late 1960’s, Cay’s career took off when she accepted a position with the Times Herald Record newspaper in Middletown, NY. She was tasked with the job of creating advertisements. Cay had a long and rewarding career with the Record and spoke often of her days in the office. She also worked with a local newspaper in Pine Bush, NY to assist with investigative
reporting..
In her spare time, Cay enjoyed spending it outdoors in her garden. Some of her best accomplishments grew here and gave her children and grandchildren fond memories of picking raspberries and strawberries every year.
Over the past few years, Cay learned to truly appreciate the little things in life and found beauty and grandeur in her surroundings. She was a connoisseur of music with the voice of an angel. She was the type of
woman who would randomly start singing God Bless America at the top of her lungs and everybody would stop what they were doing to listen and appreciate her voice and passion. When Cay spoke or sang, people listened.
As she did throughout her entire life, Cay fought with a fierce toughness in her final years, making sure she stayed on this earth long enough to meet her great-grandchildren and left this world in a traditional Howarth fashion.
As Frank Sinatra would say, she did it “my way.” She had an air of authority about her that came from a combination of wisdom, experience and being well read. She loved her family and country fiercely to her last day.
Cay is survived by three loving children and their spouses, Karen Klepinger, Brenda Giraldi (Frank), Russell Howarth (Tammy) and daughter-in-law MaryAnn Howarth. Cay was blessed to have many grandchildren
and great-children in her life. She will be greatly missed by Maria Everett-Sebasta (Wayne), Alicia Sander (Joe), Marcy Elwood Ballard (David), Nichole Meuse (Rudy Hesse), Shanna Howarth Hutton, Kenneth W. Howarth III (Brittney), Kristina Howarth, Cory Howarth, Kayla Howarth (Andrew Estep), Kelsey Hobson (Jeremy). She also had many great-grandchildren who all brought great joy to her heart. Robert and Tristin Everett, Joshua Sebasta, Joseph, Nicholas, and Anthony Sander, Sydney
and Kaitlyn Ballard, Caleb Meuse, Aislinn and Celise Hutton, Ronan Howarth, Avery and Owen Estep, and Harlow Hobson. She also has many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved her dearly.
She is predeceased by her husband, Kenneth W. Howarth Sr, and 2 sons, John Howarth, and Kenneth W. Howarth Jr, son-in-law, Dean Klepinger, and a great grandson, Lazarus Jude Howarth. She was also predeceased by her mother, Mary Teresa Comiso and father James Victor Comiso, 2 sisters, Betty-Ann Comiso, Patricia Sobolewski, 2 brothers, James Comiso
Jr., Richard Comiso, her step-father George Tracy, and step-sister Joan Tracy.
Family and friends may visit on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave, Middletown, NY from 2:00pm-4:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm.
Services will be held on Friday, July 15, 2022 at 11:00am, at St. Joseph Church, 149 Cottage St, Middletown, NY 10940.
Burial will be immediately following the mass in the Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Craigville Rd, Goshen, NY 10924.
To plant a tree in memory of Catherine Tracy Howarth, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
Thursday
14
Jul
2:00 PM
- 4:00 PM
Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home
130 Highland Ave.
Middletown, NY 10940
Visitation
Thursday
14
Jul
6:00 PM
- 8:00 PM
Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home
130 Highland Ave.
Middletown, NY 10940
Service
Friday
15
Jul
11:00 AM
- 12:00 PM
St. Joseph's Church
149 Cottage Street
Middletown, NY 10940
Graveside
Friday
15
Jul
12:30 PM
- 1:00 PM
Orange County Veterans cemetery
111 Craigville Road
Goshen, NY 10924
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