Catherine (Kitty) Gertrude Daniel (photos)
Kitty on Diane's blog:
A birthday shoutout to two awesome ladies
Happy 22nd birthday, Mom!
In memory of Kitty Daniel: 1920-2009
Published in St. Petersburg Times April 1, 2009
Catherine (Kitty) Gertrude McLaughlin Daniel died Sunday, March 29, 2009, from the effects of emphysema and Alzheimer’s disease. She was 89. Kitty was one of five children born in Portsmouth, Va. She served as a Naval nurse during World War II, and returned with tales from the South Seas. She was a registered nurse, with a bachelor’s degree from Catholic University.
In 1949, Kitty married Elijah Harris (Dan) Daniel, after they met in Staunton, Va. Little did she know what being the wife of a rabid Virginia Tech football fan would mean. For her contribution, Kitty suggested they get a dachshund, and thus began the Daniels’ long line of long dogs.
The couple moved to Hyattsville, Md., where Kitty worked as a public health nurse and Dan as an insurance adjuster. It was there, in 1958, that they adopted their daughter, Diane. In 1959 the family moved to Raleigh, NC. Kitty worked for United Cerebral Palsy, traversing country roads to visit seriously disabled patients. She cultivated a beautiful rose garden, planted dozens of azalea bushes, knit sweaters, created floral arrangements, and made delicious Southern meals.
Summers were spent on long road trips to visit family all over the country, stopping at every national park along the way. Autumns were devoted to Hokie football games in Blacksburg, Va.
In 1974, they moved to Largo, Fla., near Indian Rocks Beach, for Dan’s job. Kitty retired from nursing and put her energy into refinishing furniture, studying landscape design, raising orchids, and planting amazing flower gardens. All along, she did a multitude of volunteer work, including arranging all altar flowers at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church for many years.
In her 60s, Kitty seriously caught the quilting bug. She joined the Largo Cracker Quilters and made dozens of quilts, from wall hangings to bed covers, as well as Easter banners for St. Jerome’s, still in use today. Kitty created her own designs and made everything by hand. Along with amassing quilts, Kitty gained many quilting friends.
After Dan died in 1997, Kitty adopted a kitty, and thus began the wonderful relationship between Kitty and Callie. In 2004, they moved to the wonderful Vineyard Inn ALF in Seminole, where Kitty died. Callie will go home with Diane.
Kitty Daniel was a loving, patient, and caring person who saw people as human beings, not rich or poor, black or white, fit or disabled. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, and friend, and she will live on in our hearts and inspire us forever.
Kitty is survived by her daughter, Diane Daniel, and son-in-law, Wessel Kok, of Durham, NC; sister Margaret DeCastro of Denver; and her caregiver of seven years, Nancy Hoffmann. To see photos of Kitty, visit www.bydianedaniel.com and click onto “Memories of Mom”
Visiting hours Thursday, April 2, 5-7 p.m. (prayer service 5:30-6), at Moss-Feaster Funeral Home, 13401 Indian Rocks Road, Largo. funeral Mass on Friday, April 3, 11 a.m., at St. Jerome’s, 10895 Hamlin Blvd., Largo, with burial at Serenity Gardens, Largo.
Contributions may be made to a charity of your choice, Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, or, best of all, by doing volunteer work in Kitty’s memory.
