Catherine Ann Ross
April 30, 1960 - October 16, 2017
Surrounded by the tremendous love of family and friends, Cathy Ross transitioned into eternity on October 16, 2017 following a lengthy cancer journey.
Left to lovingly remember Cathy are her children Nicolette and Andrew, husband David Schellenberg (and sons Paul, Jonathan and Michael), mother Carol, brother Ian (Tracey), extended family and many, many close friends. Cathy is pre-deceased by her father Eldon and stepson Christopher.
Cathy was born in Winnipeg on April 30, 1960 and spent her formative years in St. James, where the Ross clan had its roots. Following high school, Cathy attended Red River College and graduated with a business management diploma. Career was important to Cathy and she worked hard throughout the course of her 30+ year career, rising through the ranks of each organization she joined, culminating in senior regional and national sales management roles.
A job transfer took Cathy from Winnipeg to B.C.'s lower mainland in 1991, where the family settled in White Rock. Career continued to be important, but her greatest priority and enjoyment came from her involvement with Nicolette and Andrew's activities, including being one of the founders of the Semiahmoo female hockey program.
Life changed again when Cathy met David. Quickly becoming inseparable, Cathy and David married in 2013. They became a blended family with five children and enjoyed a little over four years of a very happy and blessed union.
Life was very full and meaningful, with Cathy organizing many family and friend gatherings (including golf events with her girlfriends), traveling and boating with David. These were special years, full of love and life and laughter.
Cathy had tremendous people skills, radiating warmth and sparkling from the inside out when she was with family or friends. She was a great listener; she communicated openly and connected with people of all ages easily. She had a gift for being herself with everyone in her circle of family and friends, and her lack of artifice drew people to her, seemingly without effort. It is hard to imagine someone having a closer circle of long-time friends and meaningful relationships than Cathy.
We are enormously grateful to Cathy's medical team of Drs. Darby, Collins, Smiljanic and Klimo, as well as the staff at Peace Arch Hospice for their gracious and loving care of Cathy in her final days.
A celebration of life service will be held for Cathy at White Rock Baptist on October 29 at 2:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations to The Cmolik Foundation in Surrey, B.C. are gratefully accepted.
Cathy, you will never be forgotten.