Cathy Ann Cole

Cathy Ann Cole, 65, of Morehead City, North Carolina, passed away on Friday, June 23, 2023, at her home.

Her funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 8th at Munden Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Richard Derreth. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. For those unable to attend, the service can be viewed through her obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. The service will remain on the Funeral Home website for 90 days.   (See the link below for the Service Bulletin.)

Cathy Ann Cole was born to Earnest and Ruth Rawls on November 12, 1957, in Rome, New York. The baby of the family, she grew up with an older brother named David. She graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1975.

She met the love of her life, Steve, at Rome Alliance Church while he was stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base. They married on April 2, 1977, and they spent four beautiful years of military life before coming back home to Rome to work for the family company, Rawls Electric.

In 1984, the gift of a child was the blessing Cathy and Steve had been praying for, and her daughter Lydia was born. She discovered a new passion in her life shortly after and chose a new direction with nursing and chose to attend St. Elizabeth College of Nursing of Utica, NY in 1985, graduating in 1989 with her LPN. She worked at Rome Hospital for the remainder of their time in New York before moving to North Carolina in August 1995. While in North Carolina she started working with Professional Nursing in Morehead City. In March of 2000, she embarked on a new nursing journey with the Naval Hospital on Cherry Point, which is now known as the Naval Health Clinic, where she worked for 21 years and 8 months before her retirement in November 2021.

Cathy had a love for all creatures great and small, and adopted many fur babies throughout her life. She leaves behind five cats, two dogs, and 9 grand fur babies. She was an avid crafter, with a huge love for sewing and cross-stitching, often making her own scrub tops and dresses for her daughter throughout her life. She loved to travel to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania to visit the Amish Country, learning about how the Amish simple way of life intrigued her. She was an avid reader of the Amish way of living, of Joyce Meyers, historical fiction, and many other different genres of books.

She had a joy for cooking and baking, often trying out various new recipes on her husband and son-in-law without mercy, but every meal was full of laughter and love. For her birthday each year, it became a household staple and tradition, that Mimi's lasagna and lemon pie would be made and served just like the recipe called for.

Cathy is survived by her husband of 46 years, Steven M. Cole of Morehead City, NC; daughter, Lydia (Josh) Caravalho of Smyrna, NC; and aunts, Shirley Elmer of Rome, NY, Mildred (Rodney) Nelson of Morehead City, NC and Ann Turner of GA. Along with what she calls “The Outlaws”, her sisters-in-law, Paula (Norm) Cooley of Jamestown, NY and Ellen (Harry) Weber-Holt of Jamestown, NY, and brother-in-law, Fred (Suzette) Cole of Glenfield, NY. Her family also includes her nieces and nephews, Larissa (Randy) Catanese of Cassadaga, NY, Joshua (Erin) Zeiders-Weber of Jamestown, NY, Brianna Weber of Jamestown, NY, Jennifer (Brock) Dean of Corry, PA, Jessica (Scott) Puglise of Lancaster, SC, Lucy (Garrett) Austin of Lowville, NY, Emily (Kyle) Pendergraft of Lowville, NY, John Tuner of GA, and Andrew (Chrystal) Turner of GA; cousins, Timmy (Linda) Elmer of Rome, NY, Susan (John) Meyer of Rome, NY, Robin (Dale) Finn of Rome, NY, Daryl (Jillian) Finn of Rome, NY, Kari (Mike) Finn of Rome, NY, Josh (Mayara) Finn of Rome, NY, Shannon (Arnie) Pechler of Farmington, NY, Ryan (Steve) Clark of Rome, NY, and Jaime (Brian) McHale of Toms River, NJ; special adopted daughter, Debra (Max) Culpepper of Winston Salem, NC; beloved grandchildren, Logan, Julian, Maggie Culpepper, all of Winston Salem, NC; and many loved great nieces and nephews and many young cousins, all over the East Coast.

Cathy was preceded in death by her father and mother, Earnest and Ruth Rawls; brother, David Craig Rawls; uncle, David Elmer; nephew, Michael Mizner; great-nephew, Landon Pugilse; and cousins Matthew and Emily Meyer.

As an expression of sympathy flowers are welcome or donations may be made to the Carteret County Humane Society or Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.