Obituary of Catherine Anne Marie Van Vleck
January 11, 1943 – December 4, 2019
Hilton: Catherine Anne Marie Van Vleck entered into Eternal Rest, Wednesday morning, December 4, 2019. Beloved daughter of Jane Catherine Twamley and William Elmer Dietrich, beloved stepdaughter of Harriet Dietrich, granddaughter of Gladys Frances Bryant and Charles Joseph Twamley, Viola Fern Miller and William Henry Dietrich, great-granddaughter of Agnes Haverty and James Twamley, Jennie Aldridge and George Bryant. Catherine was born January 11, 1943 in Rochester, New York. She was Baptized and made her First Communion at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester. She made her Confirmation at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Charlotte. She lived with her paternal grandparents Viola and William Dietrich when she was a little girl, as well as with her mother Jane. Catherine went to live with her father and stepmother in Wolcott, NY on a farm when she was 11 years old. In 1957 Catherine met the love of her life, Barry Lee Van Vleck. Catherine graduated from Leavenworth High School in 1960. She attended St. Josephs School of Nursing for two years.
On August 18, 1962, Catherine married Barry Lee. They brought two beautiful children into the world. Marilee Ann was born February 6, 1963 and Daniel William followed on April 19, 1965. Catherine and Barry were married for 44 years at the time of Barry’s passing on February 18, 2007. Catherine and Barry shared a very happy and fulfilling life together. They enjoyed raising their children, hunting together for many years, enjoyed snowmobiling and spending time up at their camp in Osceola, traveling out to Colorado with their camper, and across the country sides of Nebraska and Wyoming and all points in between. They traveled to Oahu, Hawaii for the 60th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, to Normandy, France for the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings and Catherine returned to Normandy, France for the 65th Anniversary of D-Day with her children, Marilee and Daniel, where she once again walked the sands of Omaha Beach.
Catherine enjoyed her career of being Mom, wife and homemaker for her family, hunting, knitting, crocheting, reading, baking, making jam, working in her flower gardens, bowling for many years, being in a CB Radio club in the 70s, Blue Grass festivals, lunch dates with her cousins, reunions with her classmates of 1960 and doing cast iron cooking twice a year at the St. Lawrence Power & Equipment Museum weekends in Madrid, NY, to name only a few of her many interests. In the past few years she was delving into her family genealogy on her Twamley side and working on a scrapbook photo album of all her Twamley ancestors. In the years following her trips to Pearl Harbor and Normandy, Catherine became an avid World War II history buff, reading as much as she could on the subject. She has donated hundreds of scarves, hats and lap afghans to various charity organizations over the years. She enjoyed any time she had with her 5 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren and was so proud of all of them! After Barry’s passing she continued to go camping in her new motor home. Catherine belonged to the Holy Cross Parish.
Catherine is survived by her beloved daughter, Marilee Ann (Mark) Rayome of Osceola, NY; beloved son Daniel William (Patricia Forbes) Van Vleck of Hilton, NY; beloved grandchildren, David Barclay (Lizz) Rayome of Las Vegas, NV; Katelyn Rachelle (Brian) Kirby of Johnstown, CO; Leighanne Rene’ (Colton Deeney) Rayome of Fort Collins, CO; Caroline Tait Van Vleck of Hilton, NY; Abigail Jo (Brandon) Davis of Alison Park, PA; beloved great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Grace and Lily Barry Roath, Cillian James Smith, Mason Michael and Madison Mae Kirby, Parish Lee Deeney; brother, John (Barbara) Dietrich, niece, Susan Dietrich of Shawnee, KS; Charles (JoAnne) Dietrich, niece, Brooke Dietrich, nephews, Alex and Joseph Dietrich of Highlands Ranch, CO; niece, Karen (Michael) Bilello Lombardo of Long Island, NY; many special cousins and her faithful companion and protector of 9 years, yellow lab, Scout. Extended Family: Francis R. and Elaine McDonald of Massena, NY; Norma (John) Senior Pearson of AZ; Melissa McDonald and Elizabeth Graydon of Scotia, NY; F. Scott and Hallie McDonald of Howe’s Cave, NY; Beverly Carter of Raleigh, NC; Len and Gwen Allgaier of MI; many other special friends, neighbors and classmates of the class of 1960.
Catherine was predeceased by her beloved husband, Barry Lee; her parents Jane, William and Harriet Dietrich; brother, Billy; in-laws, Jennie and Hayes Van Vleck; sister-in-law, Sharon Kay Van Vleck Bilello; nephew, David Charles Bilello; aunts, Gladys Sawhill, Ruth Hartman and Dorothy Twamley; uncle, Charles Twamley.
Friends are invited to call Friday, December 13, 2019, from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at the Thomas E. Burger Funeral Home Inc., 735 East Avenue, Hilton. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 10:00am at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 4492 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY. Spring Internment will be in Butler Center Cemetery, Butler, NY.
Memorial donations can be made to the American Cancer Society Lakes Region, 1120 S. Goodman St., Rochester, NY 14620 - online at https://www.cancer.org/; Parma-Hilton Historical Society, c/o Parma Town Hall, 1300 Hilton Parma Corners Rd., P.O. Box 728, Hilton, NY 14468; Greece Historical Society, 595 Long Pond Road, Rochester, NY 14612; St. Lawrence Power & Equipment Museum, 1755 NY-345, Madrid, NY 13660; Holy Cross Catholic Church, 4492 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY 14612-4597 - online at https://www.holycrossrochester.org/index.php/Onlinegiving, in Catherine's memory.
