Catherine {Kay} Nowstrup

Catherine Kay Nowstrup died suddenly Monday, Nov. 30, 2009. Catherine was born into a large, hardworking and fun-loving family on April 24, 1929, on their New England, N.D., farm. Born to John and Emma Gall, Catherine was the 10th of 12 children.

Kay met the love of her life, Eldon, in Williston, N.D., in 1948, and they were married July 12, 1949. Upon Eldon's 1951 graduation with a master's degree in nuclear physics from the University of North Dakota, they moved to Washington, Pittsburgh, Oak Ridge, Tenn., and then to Maryland in 1960, where they enjoyed raising their family. Kay truly dedicated her life as a loving mother to their three children, as well as being actively involved in their community.

With her children grown and off to the University of Maryland, Kay went to work at the National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, and then at the Super Computer Research Center in Maryland.

Kay and Eldon moved to Deerfield, Walkersville, in 1992, where they enjoyed the rest of their lives. Kay's love of friends and travel, combined with her spunk and initiative, motivated her to become a Damascus Travel Club tour leader. She enjoyed organizing trips and traveling for many years with Eldon, family and friends throughout the world; she returned just a month before her death from her last trip, a bridge-playing Caribbean cruise.

Loving and helping family and friends was at the center of Kay's life; she would drop everything to help in any way she could. Many times she traveled to her children's homes in Virginia, Texas and California to help and be there for her grandchildren. She was always, always welcome for her unintruding helpfulness, energy and fun- loving spirit. Her amazing sense of humor kept us all laughing, especially her eight grandchildren, who know her as their fun Grandma.

Kay enjoyed her memberships in several bridge groups, Red Hat Society, New Friends Club of Frederick, and volunteerism with St. Timothy's Catholic Church, the Alzheimer's Association of Frederick and NARFE.

Kay was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years in October 2002. Kay is survived by her three children, Dennis Nowstrup of Austin, Texas, and wife, Susan, and their children, Katherine and Grace; Sandy Thompson of Visalia, Calif., and husband, Kip, and their children, Kayla, Ian and Kevin; and Karen Hogarth of Fairfax, Va., and husband, Peter, and their children, Eric, Carlie and Allison. Kay is also survived by her brothers, Steve Gall of Montana and Joe Gall of Florida; and her sisters, Julia Jalbert of Oregon and Annie Kathrein of Minnesota.

Please join us in celebrating Kay's life and our love for her at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at St. Timothy's Catholic Church, Walkersville, followed by a reception with snacks at the parish center.

Visitation: See above information

Services: Please join us in celebrating Kay's life and our love for her at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Walkersville, Maryland on December 6, 2009 at 1 PM followed by a reception with snacks at the Parish Center.

Memorial contributions can be made to COTA for Carlie to help with her granddaughter's ongoing liver transplant expenses; mail to Children's Organ Transplant Association, 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403.