Catherine Ann Lyman

                                                                                        Catherine Ann Lyman

                                                                                Teacher and School Counselor

          Catherine Ann Lyman, 79, died on July 17, 2020, after a long illness.

          Cathy served the students of Philadelphia for thirty-seven years, first as a teacher, later as a school counselor. She taught at Stetson Junior High School and taught English at University City High School, where students voted her favorite teacher. She then became a counselor at Sharswood Elementary School. After retiring from the School District of Philadelphia, Cathy became a counselor at Northeast Catholic High School, where she served until the Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed North in 2010.

          Karl Janowitz wrote:

                   “We worked together at University City High School and became quite close when she was counselor at Sharswood Elementary School and I was the coordinator of Southwark Motivation  (South Philadelphia High School, Motivation) which some of her students applied to and attended every year. She was a caring, compassionate and skilled counselor who was an asset to her students.  We stayed friends long after those years as well. We shared similar interests, travel, reading, current events, etc. Cathy introduced me to wonderful Philadelphia restaurants. She was always caring and interested in so much of what was happening in our city and in our world.” 

          Charlie and Phyllis Donnelly wrote:

          “ I [Charlie] was blessed to know Cathy Lyman during her tenure at Sharswood Elementary School. I was a Special Education Teacher and she was a counselor. My first real experience  with Cathy happened during a crisis....We were truly blessed by God for her friendship. We have pictures of Cathy which will be included in our wall of fame at home. I could go on, but space will not allow me. Everyone in life should be blessed by a friend like Cathy. We will truly miss her.”  

          Born in Hazleton, PA, daughter of the late Cletus M. and Anita B. Lyman, Cathy was educated at St. Gabriel Elementary and High School. She received her B.A. with major in English from Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart in Purchase, NY, in 1962. Cathy began her teaching career with the 5th Grade at Corpus Cristi School in New York City. Before coming to Philadelphia, she also taught in the public schools of Hazleton and Weatherly, PA.

          Cathy studied post-college at Fordham University, New York City, Marywood College, Scranton, PA, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, University of the Arts, and Villanova University. Cathy received a master’s degree in education from Marywood.

          Cathy was preceded in death by her sister Rosemary L. Umbriac, and is survived by her sister Alice J. Lyman, and her brother Cletus P. Lyman, both of Philadelphia, and niece Mae Umbriac (Andrew Tubley), grand-niece Alice Tubley and grand-nephew Joseph Tubley, all of San Francisco

          A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick Church, 20th and Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2020. In consideration of the health emergency, friends are asked to hear the mass virtually on the website of St. Patrick Church, www.stpatrickphilly.org See updated link for the funeral mass. 

You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfD3B27Ec58IY3NTolvZ6kQ

Cathy loved animals, and she had a particular liking for cats. Instead of flowers, friends are asked to donate to University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital, 3900 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Interment St. Gabriel's Cemetery, 214 South Poplar Street, Hazelton, Pennsylvania, 12:00 P.M. Saturday, July 25, 2020.