Catherine Langdon Foley Quigley Renaissance Woman

 Catherine Langdon Foley Quigley, age 95, of Woodbury, formerly of Silver Spring, MD and a Wabasha native, passed away on Monday, February 22, 2016 at the Woodbury Health Care Center in Woodbury, MN. A poet, scientist, humanitarian, and beloved mother, she was born in Wabasha, Minnesota. Fourth in a family of ten children, she grew up as a tomboy loving sports and beginning her life-long love of study and learning. She graduated as valedictorian of the St. Felix High School Class of 1938, and from the College of St. Catherine, St Paul, Minnesota in 1942 with a degree in chemistry. Catherine subsequently earned a M.S. in Medical Technology from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan in 1944. In 2006, she received the prestigious St. Catherine University Alumnae Award for her lifetime achievements. Catherine was a past member of St. Felix Catholic Church in Wabasha and she was a 80+ year member of the Catholic Order of Women Foresters.
 Catherine married her hometown sweetheart, Stephen T. Quigley, who preceded her in death. Together they had six children who survive her: Stephen T. “Tim” Quigley, San Jose, CA, Catherine M. (Ray) Wicks, Woodbury, MN, Mary C. (John) Stevens, Marshalltown, IA, Eileen A. Quigley, Silver Spring, MD, Kevin C. (Camie) Quigley, South St. Paul, MN and John B. Quigley, Eagle Rock, CA. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; two brothers, Robert Foley, Lilydale, MN, and Patrick Foley, St. Petersburg, FL; one sister, Eileen Eaves, Maplewood, MN; and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
 She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Ellen Foley; one grandchild, Monica Anna-Catherine Wicks; two sisters, Mary Ferron and Rose Miller; and four brothers, Jack, Daniel, Francis, and Eugene Foley. Catherine was an accomplished published poet. She had a career as a scientist and worked for General Mills and Boeing Aircraft after receiving her Masters graduate degree. In her forties after raising six children, she went back to work at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland and worked in the Blood Bank, Nuclear Medicine and the National Library of Medicine. Additionally, she was a certified graphoanalyst.
 Throughout her life, Catherine’s passions were her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was a renaissance woman with many interests including photography, sports, writing, art, music, graphoanalysis, and learning new things. A deeply spiritual and compassionate humanitarian, Catherine provided community service in a variety of capacities including as a hospice volunteer.
 Catherine will be remembered as an inspirational person and mother, exceptional storyteller, fun-loving, patriotic, a crusader for justice, a positive thinker, a multiple gold medal winning Senior Olympic champion, and a person who liked to create her own magic in life.
 A funeral Mass was offered for Catherine on Friday, February 26, 2016 at St. Felix Catholic Church in Wabasha with the Reverend Monsignor Thomas Cook officiating followed by interment in St. Felix Cemetery. Casket bearers were her grandsons. The Abbott Funeral Home of Wabasha was in charge of arrangements. www.abbottfh.com