Cathie’s legacy is one of compassion, selflessness, and genuine care for others. As the eldest of six children, she poured her love and support into her extended family, especially when it came to their involvement in sports. Whether attending their games, driving them to practices, or supporting them through sporting camps, Cathie was her nieces, nephews, and their teammates’ biggest fan.
Her passion for sports was not limited to her family alone. As a lifelong educator and mentor, Cathie understood the vital role that sports play in developing a healthy mind, body, and spirit. She took an active interest in afterschool programs, camping trips, yearbook committees, and coaching sports, enriching the lives of countless students and colleagues with her unwavering support.
Cathie passed away on June 28th, 2023, surrounded by her family and friends. Among her final gifts to our community, Cathie provided KidSport Manitoba with a tremendous gift that has allowed us to fund grants for 80 kids.
Her generous donation is a testament to her enduring spirit and belief in the importance of providing access to sports for all children. With this contribution, we can further our mission of empowering young athletes to reach their full potential.
Cathie’s legacy will live on through the 80 children whose lives have been enriched by her generosity. We are profoundly grateful for her support and deeply honoured that she chose KidSport Manitoba to be among the charities you selected to carry her legacy forward.
Testimonials From Cathie’s Family and Friends
Clayton and Kerry Starkell – Nephew and niece, parents to two girls
Aunty Cathie always appreciated an invitation to extracurricular activities and events. When our daughters were little and in dance, Cathie would never miss their year-end recitals at the concert hall. It warmed her heart to watch the girls all dressed up and performing on stage.
As the girls got older and more involved in hockey, she would often meet us at the rink to watch them play. Cathie loved the intensity of the games and the atmosphere of being on the rink with all the action. Last year, when the girl’s team went undefeated all season (2022-2023), and they were in the finals, Cathie was too sick to attend but was grateful to watch the games recorded on video and cheer from the comfort of her home. Cathie was one of their biggest cheerleaders, always chanting Go Stars, Go!
Aunty Cathie played a big role in supporting our girls and many youth in sport. She treasured the times she got to be with our family creating memories. She often reminded us that if we have any extra money that we should donate to Kids Sport or Jumpstart. She was a firm believer that ALL kids should be given the necessary opportunities and equipment to have fun, play, and be involved in youth sport!!
Damon Hayes Couture – nephew
During a snowboarding trip to Holiday Mountain with Auntie Cathie, a blizzard fully enveloped us, transforming our ride home into an impromptu storytelling session. Exhausted from carving lines on the slopes and watching similar lines of snow sweep across the highway, we filled her car with laughter. More than twenty years on, I can still recall the exact phrases from our conversation. It reminds me that sport creates occasions to connect and share meaningful moments with others, a lesson Auntie Cathie lived by.
Greg Daniels – Principal Arthur Day School where Cathie taught for most of her career.
Cathie Starkell was more than a teacher; she was a guiding light of care and support for her students. Whether she was inspiring them in her home economics lessons, coaching them in sports, supervising them on camping trips, or diligently working behind the scenes to enhance school life through her work on the yearbook and school house system, Cathie always put her students’ needs first. She selflessly volunteered countless hours and wasn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and do whatever it took to make sure her students felt valued and had the best possible school life experience.