Today I got an email forward, about a woman named Katherine Cathey, and the loss of her husband Jim Cathey, a marine who died in Iraq. The story was so touching that I searched the web to find more information about this family, and decided to share their story with you.
Katherine Cathey was expecting a phone call from her husband, Marine 2nd. Lt. Jim Cathey, so she could tell him if their baby would be a boy or a girl. Instead, she got a knock at the door — the knock every military family dreads. When his body finally arrived at the airport in the Marine’s hometown of Reno, Katherine never wanted to leave his side. ‘You take for granted the last night you spend with them,’ she said. ‘I think I took it for granted. This was the last night I’ll have to sleep next to him.’ She said about her all night vigil by Jim’s casket the night before his burial. Major Steve Beck prepares for the final inspection of 2nd Lt. James J. Cathey’s body, only days after notifying Cathey’s wife of the Marine’s death in Iraq.
At the first sight of her husband’s flag-draped casket, Katherine Cathey broke into uncontrollable sobs, finding support in the arms of Major Steve Beck. When Beck first knocked on her door in Brighton to notify her of her husband’s death, she glared at him, cursed him, and refused to speak to him for more than an hour. Over the next several days, he helped guide her through the grief. By the time they reached the tarmac, she wouldn’t let go.
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey’s body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine’s casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as one of the most powerful in the process: ‘See the people in the windows? They’ll sit right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what’s going through their minds, knowing that they’re on the plane that brought him home,’ he said. ‘They’re going to remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They’re going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.’
Minutes after her husband’s casket arrived at the Reno airport, Katherine Cathey fell onto the flag. When 2nd Lt. James Cathey left for Iraq, he wrote a letter to Katherine that read, in part, ‘there are no words to describe how much I love you, and will miss you. I will also promise you one thing: I will be home. I have a wife and a new baby to take care of, and you guys are my world.’
On the tarmac at the Reno Airport, 23 year-old Katherine Cathey waits in a limousine next to an empty hearse, preparing to watch the arrival of her husband’s casket. Five days earlier, she learned of her husband’s death in Iraq. Two days later, she learned that her baby would be a boy.
Katherine Cathey pressed her pregnant belly to her husband’s casket, moaning softly. The baby, due Jan. 1, will be named James Jeffrey Cathey Jr.
The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of JIM.
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On December 22, 2005 Katherine Cathey, 24, recieved an early Christmas gift with the birth of her son James Jeffrey Cathey Jr, who she calls Jimmy.
Katherine Cathey holds her son, James Jr., during a recent doctor’s visit. Katherine’s husband, 2nd Lt. James J. Cathey, was killed Aug. 21 in Iraq. Katherine, 24, is trying to save as many things as possible to show her son. “I hope he asks a lot about his dad,” she said of “Jimmy,” who was born Dec. 22. “I’m sure he will.”
I wish Katherine and Jimmy the best, and I hope they both lead full and rewarding lives surrounded by the memories and love from their fallen hero.
12 Comments, Comment or Ping
Touching, Sad and beautiful. Now where did I put my kleenex?
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November 12th, 2006
I just came across this picture. What a sad and loving thing to see. It reminded me of last week (March 27 to 29th) when my great Uncle was to be buried. See I’m Samoan and in our traditional there’s 3 days of mourning.
The first day is the family church service where testimonies are delivered by a few guest.
The 2nd day, all the area churches come to sing for the dead. Later that night, the families sleep over in the church where the opened casket is held til the burial. The kids of course fall asleep while the adults take the time to deliver more testimonies.
On the 3rd day. The burial. Like with 2nd Lt. James J. Cathey & all those who answered the call to serve. My uncle received full military honors with the 21 gun salute.
God bless our men and women in the service.
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April 6th, 2010
Cathey was my mentor as a squad leader in Golf Co. 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines, from 1999 to 2001. He was the ultimate Marine as an enlisted, and im sure a better officer. He led by example and never let his troops down. The Marine Corps and country lost a great man when he was killed.
Love goes out to his wife and new child.
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SumnerRain reply on March 31st, 2011 9:24 am:
I am so sorry for your loss, he seemed like an amazing man and Marine.
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February 3rd, 2011
Katherine, I saw your pic of you laying by your Husbands casket when it first hit the internet. I could not take my eyes off the picture. For an hour, I sat and cried for you, your Husband and your baby. My Daddy was a Marine in WWII and he was proud as well. I was married to two Vietnam Veterans who still to this day are in Vietnam. I want you to know, you have more courage than any woman I’ve ever known or not known. Your love is the kind that many couples never, ever experience. I hope you find peace, a place where you can smile again and think of Cathey as your own Guardian Angel now in the Marine Full Dress. God Bless you Honey.
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SumnerRain reply on March 30th, 2011 9:17 am:
I have never met Katherine, or anyone who lost their service-member spouse, but as a wife to a soldier who served for 8 years, my heart goes out to her and her family.
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March 28th, 2011
be strength..Katherine Cathey. The pic she’s sleeping by her husband cascet is one of two great pic I always keep looking at. “Flag in Iwojima and Katherine beside the cascet.”
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August 26th, 2011
Thank you for posting the picture of Katherine and her son. I am just reading this story on Facebook and it is so touching. I was trying to find any updates on how her or their son were doing. This is all I have found so far. So touching. God Bless her for all she had to go through and God Bless Lt Cathey for his ultimate sacafice. What a true hero. ~RIP~
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October 11th, 2011
bonjour katherine si vous lisez ce message vous pouvez ecouter la chanson en hommage a jim cathey sur mon site daniel desgautherets wix.com chanson n 6 j ai mis toute l emotion pour la creer quand j ai lu le reportage paris match en france je pense a tous les soldats americains dans le monde ( dommage qu elle est en francais) courage atoutes les familles
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October 13th, 2011
Just came across this randomly…nice job.
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October 16th, 2011
No woman should have to be brave like this – to have to face all this without the one she loves. My heart aches for her. But what a husband she had – a hero. I hope the memory of Jim and his bravery have helped warm her through these past few years.
Thank you…
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January 26th, 2012
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