Catherine “Katie” or “Cath” Elizabeth Bremner Slemmons, 79, passed away suddenly early in the morning of Feb. 9, 2013. 

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, EJ Slemmons; children and spouses Ted, (born Kindley AFB, Bermuda) and wife Becky; Bonnie Slemmons Dooley (born Ladd AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska) and husband Timothy; David Slemmons  (born Mather AFB, Sacramento, Calif.); and Scott Slemmons, (born Altus AFB, Altus, Okla.) and wife Cheryl and children Jason and Amanda; grandchildren  Dawn Dooley, Jeremy Slemmons (Betsy), Stephanie Slemmons Cole (Kyle), and Colleen Dooley; and great-grandchildren Castin and Major Slemmons (twins).

She was preceded in death by both her parents and her older brother, James Bremner, a sailor in the Royal British Navy in WWII.

Katie was born April 4, 1933, in Port McNicholl, Ontario, Canada, to Scottish immigrants Mary Winning and Alexander (Sandy) Bremner. 

She was part of a large hard-working, fun-loving very close extended family. In her youth Katie worked and sailed on steamships and enjoyed water and winter sports on her beloved Georgian Bay on Lake Huron.

 She was valedictorian of the PMHS class of 1951. She attended nursing school at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Orillia, Ontario, and graduated in 1954 as a diploma RN.

After completing her degree, she accepted a position nursing TB patients at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Bermuda.

In 1955, she met and married Lt. EJ Slemmons, a USAF hurricane hunter in Bermuda. They lived throughout the United States; she worked as a mom, an officer’s wife and a volunteer throughout her husband’s military career.

She opened a clinic to immunize Native Americans in Altus Okla., in 1963. In 1972 they moved to EJ’s hometown of Greenville.

She joined Community Health at its inception in 1977 and retired as director of nursing in 2005. In retirement she has been involved in FISH and served on the FISH board and attended Central Christian Church.

She enjoyed knitting and made caps, scarves, socks and sweaters for cancer patients, soldiers, needy children and for her precious grandchildren and friends.

 She was devoted to homebound elderly friends, was a fierce advocate for mental health services, served as a board member of MHMR, and was also a member of the Hunt County Disaster Board.

She also was a VIP at the return of the SS Keewatin to Port McNicoll from Michigan in June 2012 and was interviewed for a news story in the Toronto Star News.

Katie Slemmons was a friend to many and meant the world to her family.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the following non-profit organizations will be appreciated — FISH ministries and Central Christian Church in Greenville and/or Friends of the SS Keewatin, Bonar Presbyterian Church, which are both in Port McNicoll, Ontario.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Central Christian Church in Greenville.  Cath’s ashes will be taken to Georgian Bay later this year; there will be a Celebration of Life service.

Lynch Funeral Service of Greenville is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be made at www.lynchfuneralservice.com