Catherine A. Bennett (neé Wetz), 75, of Amherst MA, passed away on Monday, October 5, 2020 after a short battle with cancer.

Cathy was born to parents John and Adra Wetz on January 14, 1945 in De Kalb, IL.  She was the middle daughter of three and graduated from Waterman High School in Waterman IL in 1963.  She went on to graduate from Monmouth College with a B.A. in music and sociology in 1967, and a Masters degree in Music Performance from Eastern Illinois University in 1968.

She met her future husband, Paul W. Bennett, while working for the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Helena, Montana and they wed there in 1971.  They soon moved to Massachusetts, where they had their only child, Timothy, in 1974.

While running a social services hotline in Amherst, MA, Cathy felt called to advocate for local homeless children and families.  This led to the creation of Jessie’s House, one of the first family homeless shelters in Massachusetts, in 1982.  She directed both Jessie’s House and Grace House, a residential treatment center for mothers suffering from addiction until her retirement in 2008.  She received multiple awards for her service to the women and families she worked with, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Western Massachusetts Substance Abuse Providers Association and the Eyes of Courage award from the Center for Human Development.

In addition to her devotion to helping people through her social work, music was always an integral part of Cathy’s life.  She began learning piano as a young girl, playing with her sisters as they grew up, before studying music at Monmouth College and singing in the College Choir.  After moving to Massachusetts, she directed the choir at Wesley United Methodist Church in Amherst.  She was a cantor and musician at St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church for many years before returning to Wesley in 2001 as director of music. 

She was involved in a number of dramatic productions at St. Brigid’s as a singer, musician, and composer.  She was a part of Valley Light Opera productions since 1981 as a singer and rehearsal accompanist, as well as working in the costume shop.  She directed the University Women’s Choral Group for many years, and was a musician for many Amherst Area Gospel Choir concerts.  She enjoyed working with kids, and directed or accompanied the children’s choir at Wesley.  She played piano, organ, and harp in many local venues and thoroughly enjoyed being able to participate in such a wide range of musical endeavors.

Her faith was a cornerstone of her life.  Cathy was always searching and always willing to share what she had learned along the way.  She was a teacher and mentor for many, guiding people in both their musical and spiritual journeys.  She had a natural talent for connecting with anyone, and was always encouraging, with a strong sense of humor, but was not afraid to say what people needed to hear.  She understood people’s struggles, and was always open and approachable, always willing to help and offer advice.  She formed lifelong friendships, her beloved Pajama Party group began about 45 years ago after a women’s spiritual retreat and continues to this day. 

More recently, Cathy turned to writing through classes and workshops, crafting stories and characters, as well as her thoughts on life, music, and the plains where she grew up.  She also loved crocheting and quilting, elephants and butterflies, flowers and her backyard pond.

Cathy is survived by her son, Timothy, her two sisters, Susan Hudson and her husband John Hudson of Woodstock, IL, and Eva Maxwell and her husband, Lawrence Maxwell of Kalispell, MT, as well as her nieces and nephews and their families.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 24th at 11am via Zoom.  More details will be available at the Wesley United Methodist Church website (http://www.wesleyfamily.org).  Donations in Cathy’s memory can be given to a charity of your choice, or Wesley United Methodist Church (98 N. Maple St., Hadley MA 01035).