Catherine Dennis

On 31 October, Catherine “Cathy” Lynn Dennis (Beard), 65, was called to her heavenly home after a decade long battle against dementia.

Cathy was born in Downey, CA to Johnny Beard and Lenora Beard (Timm) in 1957. In 1963, Lenora, Cathy, and her younger brother, John (Beard), moved to the Antelope Valley. Cathy loved the desert and enjoyed visiting poppies, seeing the various colors of the desert, and relished the hot summer days. Growing up, Cathy had been very involved in Girl Scouts and was a proud Antelope Valley High School alum. After high school, she attended Antelope Valley Community College and San Jose Bible College, where she would meet her lifelong best friend, Suzanne. Cathy began working at Rockwell International where she was a Flight Test Engineer, and it was here that she would meet the love of her life, Paul Dennis. Paul and Cathy were married in August of 1984 and the couple adopted their daughter, Sherri, a few years later; at which point Cathy felt called to become a stay-at-home mother with the arrival of their daughter.

Cathy was very proud of her family's Native American heritage, having discovered she had ancestors belonging to the Chocktaw and Chickasaw tribes of Mississippi Valley and Oklahoma areas. She had a deep passion for learning of Native American history and culture and would support local tribes, both in the Antelope Valley and during travels, whenever and however she could. Although she was not one to collect a myriad of nick-knacks, trinkets, or curios, Native  American pottery was one of the few things that she loved, collected, and displayed. Cathy also loved to visit Disneyland and made sure to find occasions to go and made a point to ride the Alice's Tea Party, the Jungle Cruise, and Small World rides.

Cathy was a very devout Christian throughout her entire life. She had read through the Bible multiple times as an adult and found solace in her God, Jesus, and the hope and promise of eternal life. She had a tremendous love for all of her family and friends and strove to show her Christ-like love for them through constant prayer and attentiveness. Cathy was an example of Jesus' calling to be in the world, but not of the world. She was selfless, loved unconditionally, loved deeply, strong, resilient,  and humble. While she was alive and loved what her life had become, with a devoted husband and loving daughter, she was hopeful and excited for her next life with her Lord. Her earthly and heavenly lives are celebrated by her brother, John Beard, husband, Paul Dennis, daughter, Sherri Dennis, and grandsons. Cathy was welcomed to Heaven by her father, Johnny, and mother, Lenora.