Mary Cathey

Mary Ellen Jackson Cathey of Davidson, NC, passed away on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 in the Health Care Unit at The Pines at Davidson.

Mary Ellen was born on January 12, 1926 to the late Mary Ellen Heinrich Jackson and John William Jackson of Florence, SC. She graduated from Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, with a B.A. in English in 1947. She received a Master’s Degree in Religious Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary (formerly Assembly Training School) in Richmond, VA in 1953. She is pre-deceased by her husband of 50 years, Dr. Henry Marcellus (Marc) Cathey in 2008, and is survived by her children, Marcy E. Cathey of Bowie, MD, her husband Aaron Frank, and Henry Marcellus Cathey, Jr. of Las Cruces, NM, his wife Jodi Cathey, four granddaughters, Emily (husband Doca Arruda), Ellen, Elizabeth & Sarah, and one great-granddaughter, Alice. Mary and Marc met through a mutual pastor and mentor, Dr. Carl Pritchett—he had been Marc’s childhood pastor in Davidson, NC, and he hired Mary to serve has his Director of Christian Education at Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD. The match was made! Mary spent her life working in the church, supporting her husband Marc and caring for her children and mother. Mary continued serve as a DCE and Youth adviser after her children reached high school. She made a profound difference to youth ministry and congregations serving in a handful of churches in the D.C. area including Potomac Presbyterian, National Presbyterian, and Colesville Presbyterian.    

As a DCE, she found hymn text writing a profound way to express her faith. Her hymns won contests sponsored by The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, and a number of her poems have been published by John Knox Press, The Pilgrim Press, and Hope Publishing. She has four hymns to her credit in The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990) and others published by Selah Press, Choristers Guild, and Zimbel Press. She was an elder at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC.  Mary loved nothing more in this world than being at the beach and being with family.

A memorial service will take place later this year. Those wishing to memorialize Mary can do so by donating to the Resident Support Fund at The Pines, 400 Avinger Lane, Davidson, NC 28036.