Catherine Ida Monceau

Former islander Catherine Ida Monceau died Aug. 19 in California. She was 74.

She was born Sept. 25, 1929 in Chicago, Ill., to Francis and Miriam Luthmers. She graduated from Immaculata High School in 1948, and from Northwestern University in 1952.

She taught from 1952 until her retirement in 1990, teaching in Chicago as well as San Francisco and Chico, Calif.

She earned a master’s degree in education from California State University, Chico, and continued her education in retirement by taking classes ranging from bird identification to art history.

She married Eugene Richard Monceau on Nov. 24, 1956. They were married for 24 years; he preceded her in death in 1981.

They lived in San Francicso and on Bainbridge Island, among other cities.

She enjoyed exploring and traveled extensively. She was a skier, a tennis player and an outdoor enthusiast. She also liked such games as bridge and mahjong.

She is survived by a son, Peter Monceau, of Chico, Calif.; daughter Denise (Steve) Marine of Chico; grandchildren Henry and Samuel Marine; and sisters Ellen Compere of Eagle River, Md., and Nora Carey of Rock Hall, Md.

A wake was held Aug. 23 at St. Thomas Aquina Newman Center, with a funeral mass at the center the following day.