Catherine Irene Sawyer

Catherine Irene Sawyer was born in Baltimore, Maryland September 3, 1932 to the late William and Allie Loud. She received her early education in Baltimore City Public Schools and worked until her retirement as a packer for a book publishing company. She married Richard Sawyer who preceded her in death at an early age. Through this union was born a daughter who was named Mary Helena after her aunts. Ten years later in 1951 another daughter was born who was named Barbara Ann affectionately by her father the late Ernest T. Daniels, Sr. As a young adult; Catherine gave her life to Christ and was baptized at a church formally known as Caroline Street Methodist Church. She had been a life long resident of East Baltimore and cultivated many friendships over the years.Catherine was talented in making things. She could make the best homemade pound cake, fruit cake, chocolate candy, waffles and lemon meringue pie to name a few. She could crochet, sew and make creative things from other objects. She loved to read, especially biographies. She would visit the Broadway Branch Enoch Pratt Library to borrow books until she couldn’t go anymore. However, she still read up to a few weeks before her death the newspaper, magazines and books. She loved to listen to jazz, watch the old movies and game shows. Catherine was an organizer. Everything was labeled and put in place. She loved to collect things such as articles, recipes, magazine pictures and figurines. She loved flowers and always had a garden.Catherine loved her grandchildren. She would keep them on weekends and give them her devoted attention. If they were sick, she would watch them when they had to stay home from school. When their parents came home, the house would be clean from top to bottom. She would take them to the various places that she enjoyed going to when they came to visit. She loved to play checkers, tic-tac-toe, bingo and dominoes. She taught and played these games with her grandchildren and she would always win. She also participated in the games during activity time at Alice Manor Nursing Home and she was participated in the game during activity time at Alice Manor Nursing Home and she was a winner there too. Catherine’s greatest joy was spending time with her grand and great grandchildren and family gatherings.Catherine was blessed to be with us for eighty-five years. She was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away from us peacefully on October 3, 2008. She leaves to honor her in memory two daughters Helena and Barbara; grandchildren Michael, Robert, Brian (Patrice) and Kendria; great grandchildren Kierra, Tavon and Brian Jr.; Robert Jr. and Bria preceded her in death; two great-great grandchildren; one sister Margaret Pierce; two sister –in-laws Mary Wood Jones and Helena Wright (Timothy); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

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Catherine Irene Sawyer

September 3, 1923 - October 3, 2008