Cathleen Julia Dunne

Cathleen, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the age of 81. She was born on July 30, 1943 on her family homestead south of Holman in Fayette County, Texas to Elo August and Edna Emma Brandt Witt. Cathleen was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Delores Dell Witt Laufer. She is survived by her loving husband of 34 years, Patrick William Dunne, of Fayette County, TX, her two sons: Joel Christopher (Jennifer Jay) Stahmer of Midland, TX and Richard Ian (Denise Orr) Stahmer and four grandsons: Aaron Marshall Stahmer of Midland, TX and Eric James, Justin Matthew and Nathan August Stahmer all of Houston, TX.

She grew up on the same family property and attended Hermes Elementary and LaGrange High School. She continued her education at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a minor in Sociology and Psychology in 1967.

Her career in Nursing began as a Public Health Nurse for the Houston Health Department. In 1976 she took a position as a school nurse at Washington Junior High and Jack Yates High School in Houston Independent School District. Summers were spent as a Health Supervisor for the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America working at both Camp Strake and El Rancho Cima. Her career culminated as a Research Nurse with Baylor College of Medicine where she was a part of the team who identified the gene for Myotonic Dystrophy. It was here where she also met her true love, Patrick William Dunne originally of Toronto, Canada who shared her passion for scientific research and medicine. Cathleen eventually celebrated her retirement on October 30, 2000.

As a young mother, Cathleen shared her love of the outdoors with her sons by serving as a scout leader, camp nurse and earned her Wood Badge (1981). She obtained her Master Naturalist (2016) with a Texas Water Specialist and a Landscaping Specialist through the Native Plant Society. Later, both she and Patrick became Master Gardeners (2018). A life-long “foodie” and lover of all things culinary, she instilled this passion in her sons and even used cuisine to convert her Canadian husband to a love of all things Texas. Later, retirement allowed Cathleen the freedom to explore more of her many loves and varied interests. She and Patrick resided on Cathleen’s family property where they owned and operated a cattle ranch, established a small vineyard for a time and participated in Texas Wildlife Conservation endeavors to reestablish native wildflowers and grasses. They volunteered as local poll workers, traveled with their grandsons each summer exploring Texas and beyond and with each other to exciting places such as Cuba, the Yucatan Peninsula, Alaska, Canada, Ireland and also enjoyed several cruises.

Cathleen will be laid to rest in the Brandt family cemetery in a private family service.

Services are under the Care and Direction of Fayette Memorial Funeral Home of La Grange Texas. Please visit www.fayettememorialfuneralhome.com to share memories and leave your condolences for the family.