Catherine Smith

Catherine Smith, 104, of Bethlehem, PA, passed away at the Country Meadows Retirement Community early in the morning of Monday, November 18, 2024. She was born at home in the small town of Alpha, NJ, on March 9, 1920, and was the daughter of Christopher McAtee and Barbara Dahm. She was the youngest of a rather large Irish American family and grew up in Phillipsburg, NJ.

Catherine was a loving mother and the wife of Joseph P. Smith and made her home in Bethlehem on Eaton Avenue, in a house that they both built together in 1950. She was preceded in death by Joseph, who passed away in 1991, just shy of their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Catherine and Joseph were a devoted couple and particularly enjoyed traveling to historic spots, cruising, and working together in their home.

She was a member of Saints Simon and Jude Church in Bethlehem for many decades. In her later years while housebound, she looked forward to receiving communion at home, oftentimes from Monsignor William Baver, who officiated at her Mass of Christian Burial. More recently, Catherine was known to pen a non-denominational prayer or two to share with her friends at Country Meadows; her final such prayer was read graveside.

She served as the "milk lady" at Nitschmann Junior High School for many years, dispensing milk cartons and known by legions of kids who brought a sack lunch. Proud of her Irish heritage to the end, Catherine finally got to visit Ireland when retired.

Catherine Smith is survived by her son, Spencer, grandchildren, Catherine Drexler, Sloane Smith, and Spencer "Owen" Smith, Jr., great-grandchildren, Jessica Roman, Christopher Drexler, and Casey Drexler, great-great-grandsons, Dominick, Carmelo, and Maximus, and numerous nieces and nephews.