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Cathy M. Cote

Date of Death: March 7, 2025

Date of Birth: August 23, 1967

Biography:

(MONMOUTH, ME): Cathy M. Cote passed away peacefully in the evening hours of March 07, 2025 following a three month long battle in a local hospital, rehab and hospice facility. Her ever-expanding list of health concerns and chronic pain began at the early age of 19 years old and continued throughout the remainder of her life. Cathy was a woman who carried more than one person should and never once complained. Despite her constant health issues, Cathy will never be remembered as a sick person but rather described by family and friends as an “Angel on Earth.” A woman with a one-of-a-kind heart who left a lasting impression on everyone she encountered. Her legacy resides in words like “warrior” and “strength” for all who knew her truly believed her to be invincible. She was the proverbial flower in the concrete.

Cathy was a devout Catholic who instilled faith, devotion, grace and unconditional love into her daily routines. She believed all were equal and deserved respect and kindness. Out of high school she worked as a CNA in a nursing home and then a branch manager in a Lisbon credit union. After becoming disabled in her early thirties, she threw herself into selfless care of her immediate and extended family as a homemaker. Cathy was affectionally nicknamed “Cathy Crocker” for her love of cooking and sharing high quality homecooked food to both homeless and family alike. She would cook and drop off weekly food donations to her local church and to the Dominican Sisters of Sabattus. As a breast cancer survivor and woman battling heart conditions, she had a soft spot for others undergoing such diagnoses. She donated money to charity and joined multiple fundraising foundations to raise money and awareness to help future survivors. Cathy was a woman who gave to others without restraint and always put everyone else before herself. Her passions included gardening and tending to her flower gardens. She made homemade soaps, milk chocolates and canned goods which she sold and gifted to others. In the final years of her life, she took up acrylic painting and left behind some precious artworks for her family to cherish.

Cathy’s final days at Andwell Hospice House in Auburn, Maine were a beautiful tribute to her life. For three days, her friends and family sat beside her and held her hand. They all said their goodbyes with warm embraces and unlimited kisses. The room was filled with laughter, tears and stories of her life. The family prayed together, played her favorite songs, and read poetry. The last time Cathy opened her eyes - she glanced around and saw a full room which brought a tender smile to her face. The hospice experience felt to her children as though she had fallen asleep at a family party and knew she was safe because she could hear the familiar voices of her loved ones around her. It is because of the kindness of the hospice staff and the love of the family that we have decided to let this be her lasting memory. We will not hold a funeral service but instead throw a Celebration of Life party in May of this year. Details to follow.

Cathy is predeceased by her beautiful sister, Claudette Morissette (September 2024) and her charismatic father, Paul Mathieu (November 2024). She is survived by her spouse of 39 years, Paul Cote and two daughters: Crickett Ashley Cote and Darcy Jeanne Cote (and husband, Waleed Bashir) of New Jersey; her mother, Jeanne Mathieu; and her siblings: Gerry Mathieu and Debbie Lesniak. She also left behind a large family of loved ones who remained by her side even in her final moments. Her immediate family would like to thank everyone who helped carry the unspeakable pain of the last few months. The support by and large had a profound impact on the survivors. The family would also like to personally thank Father Joseph Awoh of Lewiston, Maine who became a close friend and source of comfort to Cathy in the final months of her life. Cathy was a very loved woman who will be forever missed and never forgotten. May her journey that was cut short too soon continue forward in the hearts of all those who love her. A true saint walked this Earth and has been called home by her Heavenly host, and it was an honor to know her.

PSALM 119:111 “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”