Catherine’s Highlights;
Odessa’s Eulogy.
Please feel free to read below.
It is a combination of Odessa’s gratitude for her mother, and
Catherine’s final remarks as she reminisced on her life.
Hi, family and friends.
Catherine and her daughter, Odessa; Spring 2020.
Catherine, friends, and family at her 97th Birthday Party.
Catherine at her favorite Little Italy restaurant: La Nonna’s.
Thank you for viewing our tribute to my mother, Catherine Ruth Cumberbatch. Catherine was the only child of Bertha Hill of Evergreen, North Carolina, and Paul Davis, of Chadbourn, North Carolina. Catherine was born April 9th, 1922.
At the age of four, Catherine went to live with her grandmother, Mary Jane Phifer Hill. Mary Jane was close to her siblings, both Mary Phifer Smith and Georgeanna Phifer Newkirk. Although Catherine was an only child, she was raised with her grandmother’s younger children and Georgeanna and Mary’s children. Thus, Catherine became a great listener and became our family historian. Catherine made it her mission to keep in contact and connected with the descendants of the Hills, Smiths, Newkirks, Applewhites, Gainey’s, and the Cumberbatch’s. Catherine loved humanity. She loved nature. She embraced all religions, and believed people had the right to worship and pursue happiness as they pleased.
Education.
Catherine took college courses at Pace College in Brooklyn and The New School for social research. Catherine adored Professor Joseph Campbell who taught literature, comparative mythology, and comparative religion. Her favorite Joseph Campbell quote is: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
Activism.
Catherine protested and marched for Civil Rights and for a decent living wage. She accompanied labor union groups to Albany to pressure Governor Nelson Rockefeller to raise the minimum wage from 50 cents to 75 cents per hour. She was a participant in District 65 Union Square rallies protesting the murder of Emmitt Till. Her last protest march was seventeen years ago with Sean Penn against the Iraq war.
Employment.
Catherine worked at farming in North Carolina; restaurant work in New Jersey; domestic work in Brooklyn; factory work at a bomb-sight facility in Brooklyn; and office work in Brooklyn. In 1987, Catherine retired as a claims examiner from Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield in Manhattan.
Volunteer Work.
In the early 1970’s, Catherine was a Sunday School teacher for the junior class at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Brooklyn. From 1974 to 1977, she was president of the St. John’s Block Association (Between Washington and Underhill). From 1975 to 1976, she was secretary of the Parkway Independent Democratic Club. From 1985 to 1987, she worked the phone banks for St. Clare Hospital Aids Crisis Center. She also volunteered to visit aids patients for the Seventh Day Adventist help group. Catherine served as a representative for the Lower East Side People’s Care Garden.
Politics.
Politics was her passion. Catherine enjoyed discussing political affairs, especially with her friend Milton Fechter. Whenever someone would trash talk about our current president, Catherine would say, “Not my dear, dear Donald.”
Catherine passed on Tuesday, August 18th, 2020 at 1pm. Catherine donated her body to SUNY Downstate Medical Center.
Catherine had one daughter, Odessa; two granddaughters, Celeste & Kelly; one grandson, Stewart; two great grand sons, Michael & Brendan.
Thank you and Acknowledgments:
I would to acknowledge the following for their dedication, kindness, and help to Catherine: Barbara Harris, God-daughter; Hattie Lu Gainey; Jimmy Gainey; Dr. Hugo Rosero; Dr. Desiree Chow; and Rabbi Regina. And an extra special thanks to: Tish Johnson; Fay Patterson; and Gabriel Armentano. They were always there for Catherine, and as her health declined, she knew she could count on them. In the end, when it was clear we were losing her, they were also there for me.
Thank you.
Odessa Starke-Skinner.