Obituary of Novella Catoe

CAMDEN – A private burial for Novella Winifred Catoe, 97, was held in Forest Lawn Memorial Park on December 7.  Her children honored her request by announcing her death after burial.    

Mrs. Catoe, wife of the late John Woodrow Catoe, passed away at home on Friday, December 4, 2020.  Born in Lamar on May 15, 1923, she was the youngest daughter of the late Elijah Monroe and Mary Jane Knotts.  She retired from Hermitage Mill in Camden and attended Camden Free Will Baptist Church where she played piano into her nineties.  Before Alzheimer’s dementia, Mrs. Catoe enjoyed crocheting, embroidery, reading and cooking.

Surviving are her children, Brenda Peters, Jane West, Bruce (Karen) Catoe and Sue (Gene) Hornsby; fourteen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.  Mrs. Catoe was predeceased by a son, John W. Catoe, Jr., a granddaughter, Brooke Catoe, a great-grandson, Hunter Hornsby, a son-in-law, James A. Peters, three brothers, Bill, Woodrow and Creighton and five sisters, Ruby Bailey, Beatrice Jeffcoat, Sue Sims, Deuce Knotts and Adelaide Knotts.

The family would like to express their love and gratitude to G. Moore and Venus Clark, who were tremendous sources of inspiration, comfort and care.  Their friendship and deep abiding love for Mrs. Catoe and her family was evident in the numerous acts of kindness performed by each of them.

Sincere appreciation is extended to the dedicated staff of Compassionate Care Hospice: social worker Shawn Reinhart, nurse practitioner Jacob Shaw, nurses Ali Sullivan and Annabelle Outlaw and Chaplain Michael Hilliard who all became “extended” family during Mrs. Catoe’s years of hospice care.  You are saints, one and all, and the family hopes you know how much you are appreciated.

Special thanks to Teresa Hinton of Compassionate Care Hospice, absolutely the best CNA the family could have ever hoped for, who cared for Mrs. Catoe with true compassion and love while allowing her to maintain her dignity.  The family feels blessed beyond measure - God’s grace has certainly been felt by having Teresa in their lives; she brought much joy and laughter into Mrs. Catoe’s life and her family will be forever grateful.

Matthew 25:40 “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it for Me.”

Memorial donations may be made to Camden Free Will Baptist Church, 1205 Gardner Street, Camden SC 29020.