Catherine Cronin

Catherine "Cathy" Marie (Sweeney) Cronin was born in Grand Forks, ND September 8, 1929, to Robert and Emma (Johnson) Sweeney. She died April 28, 2015 at Sanford palliative care unit Fargo, ND, surrounded by her family after a brief illness. Her funeral is set for 2pm May 4th at St. Mary's of the Lakes near Detroit Lakes, MN. Visitation from 5 to 7pm May 3rd, with a 6:30pm Rosary, followed by a 7pm prayer service at David-Donehower Funeral Home in Detroit Lakes, MN. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the Mass. Interment will be at St. Jude's Cemetery near Thompson, ND at a later date. Catherine spent her childhood on her parents farm north of Manvel attending a one room school often riding three miles on horseback between her two brothers to keep their little sister warm. She later attended and graduated from St. James high school while living in a boarding house in Grand Forks, ND. She was always Cathy to her many friends but always Catherine to her siblings and the many nieces, nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, seven-month old first child Robert John "Bobby-Jack," sister Patricia "Patsy," and brothers John and Gerald Sweeney. Catherine was married to her husband John "Jack" Cronin who survives her on June 10, 1952 at St. Timothy's Church in Manvel. Catherine is also survived by her sister Margaret (John) Hoopes and brother Daniel (Helen) Sweeney; daughter Carol (Charles) Bruzzone, sons David (Nancy) and Patrick (Dawn) Cronin. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren Rachel Bruzzone (S. Douglas Olson), Daniel Bruzzone (Jessica Buchholz), John (Christie) Cronin, Crystal Cronin, Brian (Becky) Cronin, Laura (Tony) Schanilec and Justin (fiancé Sadie Doggett) Cronin.; and her six great-grand children KayLynn Cronin, Cammie and Jack Cronin, Aubrey and Drew Cronin and Avery Schanilec. Many nieces, nephews and their families. Catherine was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Her family was the most important thing in her life. If you knew Cathy, you knew the entire flock no matter how much time you had to learn of them. There was no person more proud of each and every one of them. Cathy did everything she could to improve her family's lives, tirelessly working many jobs and balancing being a great mother and wife. Her working outside the home too helped allow husband Jack to be able to assist his success in becoming an electrician and their moving off the small family dairy farm into Thompson, ND. Catherine took a huge leap of faith enrolling at UND at age 40, attending full-time with traditional students "young enough to be my kids." She graduated in four years with an accounting degree in 1973 spending the remainder of her career working at UND in the graduate school and purchasing office. Cathy was deeply involved in community service in Thompson, ND, especially also in GFWC, later becoming the ND State President. She was always ready, willing and made herself available to serve and help at the parishes she belonged to, even being Church Secretary at St. Mary's of the Lakes for 19 years after retiring with Jack to the lake home they built on Lake Eunice near Detroit Lakes. She was proud of their home "that Jack built" and loved the changing seasons at the lake. Cathy and Jack loved traveling especially in their retirement, proudly having been to all 50 states, eleven trips to Europe and through the Panama Canal. They were inseparable, especially in their wonderful retirement years. When their health allowed they would spend winters in Myrtle Beach, SC, Galveston, TX and Hot Springs, AR., up until recently. Her family is proudest of her tireless unwavering dedication to her husband Jack Especially these last few years prior to his recent move to The Fairmont Eventide Garden Square Memory Care in Moorhead, MN. Cathy would prefer memorials directed to the Thompson, ND school, citing the wonderful start it gave her children, St. Jude's Cemetery, or St.Mary's of the Lakes parish. Funeral arrangements are with the David Donehower Funeral home in Detroit Lakes, MN

Funeral Home: David Donehower Funeral Home 609 Hwy 10 East Detroit Lakes, MN US 56501

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Previous Events

cemetery
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Visitation
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Service
Monday, May 4, 2015

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