West Burke, VT - Catherine A. Haskell, 71, died unexpectedly Jan. 30, 2022, near her home in West Burke, VT. She was born April 15, 1950, in Bangor, Maine, the daughter of Lawrence and Helen (Bell) Haskell.
Cathy graduated from Brewer High School in 1968 and studied Veterinary Medicine at the University of Maine. Soon thereafter, Cathy moved to Vermont, and on to Oregon for a time. Ultimately, she returned to Vermont's Northeast Kingdom where she settled into a life of equal parts adventure and home comforts. Fiercely independent, Cathy lived life on her own terms. Veterinary assistant, farm hand, llama rancher, bus driver, ed tech: all were hats that Cathy wore during her life. In these roles, her joy and compassion touched so many lives: the animals she fostered, the kids she mentored and, of course, her family, whom she made laugh so long and so hard. She was a spirit of delight and a champion of the vulnerable in equal measure.
Cathy loved being outdoors: from boating on Willoughby and Crystal Lakes, to simply tending her garden. And though she loved the simple pleasure of being home, she was always up for an adventure: from camping at the yurt with her dogs to her Alaskan excursion with favorite sister, Ginilee, to taking her beloved mother, Helen, to Matagamon, just one more time. Her real life's work was reminding us all that it is love that binds us and that we strengthen that bond through simple acts of caring, laughing and simply being there.
In addition to her parents, Cathy was predeceased by her brother, Michael Haskell; niece, Jennifer Wilson; special uncle, Dick Bell; and several other aunts and uncles. She is survived by her trusted friend, Mary Dewane; beloved dogs, Adorra, Cooper and Dessa; sister, Ginny Wilson and brother-in-law, John, of Bluffton, SC; brother, Kenneth Haskell and sister-in-law, Linda of Hilton, NY; brother, Larry Haskell and sister-in-law, Natasha, of Springfield, IL; sister-in-law, Carol, of Bowdoinham, ME; aunt, Nancy Bell of Montpelier, VT; nieces, Julie and Susan; special great-nephew, Oliver Wilson; nephews, Andrew, Matthew, John, Christopher, William and Brian, and their families; as well as many cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews and friends too numerous to name. She also leaves behind a legacy of beloved dogs: Bella Blue, Wally, Wally 2, Cricket and Pfeffer.
Gifts in her memory may be sent to Frontier Animal Society, 4473 Barton Orleans Road, Orleans, VT 05860. A celebration of Cathy's life will be announced at a later date. Memories and condolences may be shared with family at saylesfh.com.