Catherine A. Towers

CATHERINE ARLENE (FINCH) TOWERS died ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 AFTER A BRAVE AND DIGNIFIED BATTLE WITH CANCER; THE ANGELS REJOICINGLY WELCOMED CATHY INTO HEAVEN.



CATHY WAS BORN IN ST ELIZABETH?S HOSPITAL YOUNGSTOWN OH ON DECEMBER 1, 1961 TO FRANCIS FINCH AND ADDA VIOLA WALTERS FINCH. SHE WAS THE YOUNGEST OF 3 DAUGHTERS. WHILE STILL YOUNG; HER PARENT RETURNED TO THEIR HOMETOWN OF FRANKLIN PA. CATHY ATTENDED SCHOOL AT THE FORMER ROCKY GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEN THE ROCKY GROVE JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL. SHE WAS A GIRLSCOUT FOR MANY YEARS. SHE ALSO ATTENDED THE YOUTH CLUB AT THE ROCKY GROVE GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL SHE PARTICIPATED IN TENNIS, GOLF, AND CHEERLEADING. SHE GRADUATED THE SALUDATORIAN OF THE ROCKY GROVE CLASS OF 1979.



AFTER HIGH SCHOOL CATHY ENLISTED IN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS. SHE COMPLETED HER BASIC TRAINING AT PARRIS ISLAND SC. FROM THERE SHE WENT TO MEMPHIS TN AND TO DENVER CO TO RECEIVE TRAINING AS AN ELECTRONICS ENGINEER. THE MARINES STATIONED HER FOR 2 YEARS IN JAPAN. SHE REALLY ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO DO SOME TRAVELING WHILE THERE. SHE ESPECIALLY ENJOYED GOING TO THE PHILLIPINES. WHILE IN JAPAN SHE PARTICIPATED IN A BODY BUILDING COMPETITION COMING IN 2ND. CATHY SERVED THE REST OF HER ENLISTMENT IN EL TORRO CA. WHILE THERE SHE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF SOME COLLEGE COURCES. SHE WAS ESPECIALLY GOOD IN PSYCOLOGY. SHE ATTAINED THE RANK OF LANCE CORPORAL BEFORE SHE WAS DISCHARGED.



CATHY AND HER FAMILY WERE VERY PROUD OF THE TIME SHE SERVED HER COUNTRY WELL.

CATHY RETURNED TO FRANKLIN IN 1983. HER 1ST JOB WAS FOR A SHORT TIME AT KAY?S JEWELRY IN THE CRANBERRY MALL. SHORTLY THERE AFTER SHE OBTAINED A JOB AT MATRIX. THERE SHE WAS ABLE TO USE HER SKILL IN ELECTRONICS. WHILE WORKING AT MATRIX; SHE MET HER BEST FRIEND, HER SOUL MATE, THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, AND HER FUTURE HUSBAND-REX A TOWERS (RAT). THEY WERE MARRIED ON VALENTINES DAY OF 1987. CAT AND RAT WERE A WONDERFUL, CLOSE, HAPPY COUPLE.



IN ORDER TO OBTAIN BETTER CHANCES OF ADVANCEMENT; REX DECIDED TO FURTHER HIS EDUCATION BY TAKING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CLASSES IN THE HARRISBURG AREA. CATHY DID SOME CATERING. SHE FOUND A JOB AT SUMMITT TECHNOLOGIES IN MECHANICSBURG WHERE AGAIN SHE WAS ABLE TO USE HER ELECTRONICS BACKGROUND. 2 � TO 3 YEARS LATER SHE GOT A WONDERFUL JOB AT THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE COMMISSION. THEY PUT HER IN CHARGE OF THE ELECTRONICS FOR THE CENTRAL THIRD OF PA. IT WAS A VERY CHALLENGING JOB. CAT AND RAT LIVED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS IN CAMP HILL, ENOLA, DILLSBURG AND LEWISBERRY.



ONE OF CAT?S DREAMS CAME TRUE WHEN SHE WAS ABLE TO BUY ?THE SILVER LAKE INN? IN LEWISBERRY. IT WAS AN OLD RESTAURANT/BAR NAMED AFTER A NEAR BY LAKE. SHE WAS SO EXCITED WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE INN AND GOT TO RENOVATE IT. SHE VAMPED UP THE MENU. SHE WANTED TO MAKE IT MORE OF A RESTAURANT. SHE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. SHE LOVED CREATING NEW PROMOTIONS AND COMING UP WITH PLANS TO INCREASE THE BUSINESS. HER MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENTS INCLUDED ANNUAL HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTIES, WINE TASTING EVENTS, AND EVEN ?DARK DINING.? CATHY WAS LOVED BY CUSTOMERS, VENDORS, AND EMPLOYEES ALIKE. SHE HAD A BIG HEART AND SHE ENJOYED SPONSORING FUND RAISERS FOR THOSE IN NEED.



CATHY WAS A HUGE ANIMAL LOVER. SHE HAD A PASSION FOR RESCUING ABANDONED, NEGLECTED, OR ABUSED ANIMALS. FOR YEARS HER FAITHFUL COMPANIONS WERE SHADOW AND HARLEY. MORE RECENTLY LIBBY AND GINNY WERE CONSTANTLY AT HER SIDE.



CATHY IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND-REX A TOWERS OF LEWISBERRY; HER IN-LAW?S- PAUL AND MARY JANE TOWERS OF FRANKLIN; 2 SISTER?S OF FRANKLIN ?PEGGY STROUPE AND DOTTY DEMARCHI AND HUSBAND LARRY; 1 NEPHEW-LON WILKINS OF FRANKLIN; 4 NIECES-DAWN WHITLEY AND HUSBAND JAMES OF UTICA, YVONNE HOOVER OF FRANKLIN, NICOLE LESTER AND HER HUSBAND JASON FROM MEADVILLE, AND ERIN BEHM AND HER HUSBAND BEN OF CHATTANOOGA TN. SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED B Y GREAT NEPHEWS/NIECES: KODY WILKINS AND WIFE SHANI, CHEYANNE AND SHERIDYN UMSTEAD, JENNIFER AND JESSE WHITLEY, MADISAN GRAHAM, ALEXIS SHIFFLETT, EVAN AND CADE WILKINS, COLBY AND RYAN LESTER. SHE ALSO IS SURVIVED BY GREAT-GREAT NEPHEWS/NIECES: NEVAEH, NOLLON,ALAYNA AND KODY JR.

BECAUSE SHE WAS SO SPECIAL; SHE IS SURVIVED BY SEVERAL AUNTS, COUSINS, HER GOD-DAUGHTER CASSIE; A SPECIAL SOME-BUNNY-LOVES-YOU AUNT; SPECIAL FRIENDS: JOHN AND KATHY BUTLER, DAVE, MIKE, MARTY,TINA,DOREEN AND OTHERS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION.



CATHY WAS PREDECEASED BY: HER GRANDPARENTS - CHARLES AND ADA HANEY AND HAROLD AND BERTHA FINCH; HER PARENTS FRANCIS AND ADDA FINCH; AND A NEPHEW - SCOTT FRANCIS STROUPE.



CATHY WAS A DOWN-TO-EARTH, EVERYDAY, NORMAL, LOVING, COMPASSIONATE, HAPPY PERSON. WORDS JUST CANNOT EXPLAIN. SHE WAS LOVED BY ALL SHE MET. SHE WAS EXTREMLY BEAUTIFUL BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. SHE WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER GUY NOT HERSELF. SHE LOVED TO TRAVEL EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN?T ABLE TO GO AS OFTEN AS SHE WOULD HAVE LIKES. SHE ESPECIALLY LOVED ST THOMAS. CATHY WAS AN AVID STEELERS FAN. HER HAPPIEST TIMES WERE QUIET, RELAXING MOMENTS SPENT WITH HER HUBAND REX AND THE ?GIRLS.?



A CELEBRATION OF CATHY?S LIFE WAS HELD AT HER ?SILVER LAKE INN? ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 IN LEWISBERRY. HER LOCAL FRIENDS AND FAMILY TOASTED HER LEGACY.



A FRANKLIN HOMETOWN MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AS SOON AS PLANS CAN BE FINALIZED. THE DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.



IN LIEU OF FLOWERS; DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO EITHER THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION OR TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER/HUMANE SOCIETY OF YOUR CHOICE.



AS CATHY?S WOULD SAY, ?REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES. YOU ROCK.?