Catherine WOOD

January 11, 1928 - March 9, 2014

Catherine Jermyn Wood was born on January 11, 1928, in Gulfport, the youngest of eleven children born to George and Mary Ellen Peppard Jermyn. She grew up in Mississippi City and attended Mississippi City School before graduating as a member of Gulfport High School’s Class of 1945. After graduating, she worked at Hancock Bank as a teller and bookkeeper.

All of the Jermyn kids were very good athletes, and Catherine was no exception. She played tennis, golf, and softball, and was a member of the championship basketball team at Gulfport High. In summers, she played outfield for the Gulfport City team, when she caught the eye of Bill Wood, the Pass Christian City League coach, and the rest was history.

Catherine and Bill married on August 19, 1951, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Pass Christian. They began their married life in New Orleans while Bill finished dental school and Catherine worked at Whitney National Bank. They then moved to Ft. Hood, Texas, where Bill finished his Army service. In 1955, they moved home to Pass Christian. Bill set up his dental practice in Gulfport, where Catherine was a bookkeeper and helped in the office.

Catherine was a woman of strong faith and daily prayer was important to her. Growing up, the Jermyn family attended St. James Catholic Church, and she was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church since her marriage. She taught CCD for many years and was Vice President of the Parish Council and a member of the Altar Society, of which she served as president for several terms.

Catherine loved her family, and took great pleasure in having extended family to her home. She particularly looked forward to annual visits from her siblings who lived away. She always made birthdays, holidays, and any family celebration special.

She frequently volunteered at her children’s schools, was always a room mother, and logged many hours on the Bay Bridge taking kids to school and activities.

Catherine and Bill loved to travel and always made friends wherever they went. She was a member of the Pass Christian Historical Society and Pass Christian Yacht Club, where some of her most enjoyable times were spent at the corner table with her special friends.

Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, and her siblings Enola Jermyn, Thelma Duling, George Jermyn, Billy Jermyn, Jack Jermyn, Bobby Jermyn, Dick Jermyn, and Pat Jermyn.

Catherine is survived by Bill, her loving husband of 62 years, and her four children: daughters Cathy and Lauri; sons Billy and wife Mary, and Chuck and wife Amy; and four grandchildren: Guy, Mary Anne, Morey, and William, all of Pass Christian. She is also survived by her brothers Tom Jermyn of Somerset, MA, and Harry Jermyn, of Albuquerque NM, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, Pass Christian with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Live Oak Cemetery, Pass Christian.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Vincent de Paul Society at Holy Family Catholic Church: 22342 Evangeline Road, Pass Christian, MS 39571.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements.
View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com

Contributed on 8/2/20 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 30266

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