Catherine Ann Thurin

Catherine Ann Thurin, 80, passed away peacefully in the presence of her children at 5:24 pm on Tuesday, September 19th. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 8, 1937. She was the daughter of the late Thomas and Catherine (Staebler) Clancy. She was affectionately known to her Ohio family and friends as "Dee", a nickname given to her by her only brother and one that lasted a lifetime. Her brother, Daniel T. Clancy and sister-in-law, Carol of Westlake, Ohio survive.
Her childhood was spent biking the streets and ice skating with her friends and classmates in Rocky River, Ohio. She was educated in the parochial Catholic schools, attending St. Christopher Grade School and graduated high school from St. Augustine Academy in Lakewood, Ohio. A registered nurse, she completed her clinical training at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati and then worked briefly in this capacity at Newton College in Massachusetts.
On August 27, 1960, she married John P. Thurin of Canton, Ohio. Five children were born of their union – Martin Phillip (deceased August 11, 1981), Peter Francis (Jobie), Julie Marie (Joseph) Harmon, Quinn Thomas (Michelle) all of South Bend, and Shawn Marion (Adele) of Palm Harbor, Florida. In addition to her living children, she is survived by 11 grandchildren: Nicholas, Maddie and Will Thurin; Christian, Oliver, John and Lucy Harmon; Basil and Leo Thurin; Alex and Kelsey Thurin.
After retiring from her job in the newborn nursery and postpartum unit at Memorial Hospital, she spent time employed as a nanny in the Washington, D.C. area. She volunteered for many years as a docent at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. She was also an active volunteer and a member of The Christ Child Society. Catherine enjoyed her early morning coffee while reading the local newspaper, fine chocolates (particularly those from Malley's candy store in Cleveland), historical reading (especially biographies of Harry Truman and Jacqueline Kennedy), Sunday car drives, and learning from adult courses offered at the Forever Learning Institute. She cared for several dogs and enjoyed their loyal canine companionship. She loved both domestic and international travel with a special interest in the country of Italy as well as in genealogical research of her Irish heritage.
The family would like to express our sincere appreciation to the staff at The Sanctuary at St. Paul's and Center for Hospice Care for their kind care of Catherine this past year when her health began to decline significantly. Both entities are invaluable assets to our community.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Little Flower Catholic Church in South Bend at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 23, 2017 with Fr. Herb Yost, C.S.C. presiding. Calling hours for visitation will be this Friday from 4:00-7:00 pm, with the rosary being prayed at 3:45 pm, at McGann Hay University Chapel, 2313 Edison Road, South Bend, and at the church from from 10:00 – 11:00 am on Saturday prior to the funeral. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the Martin P. Thurin endowed scholarship fund at Holy Cross College – Notre Dame, IN 46556 or to The Christ Child Society, P.O. Box 1286, South Bend, IN 46624.