Catherine Eileen Giltzow

Catherine was born in Los Angeles County on July 11, 1916 to Mary Jane McGroarty Nickel (Mamie) and Ellis Nickel. She had three younger brother, twins who died soon after birth and Bernard, also a newborn who died during the flu epidemic.



Catherine was six years old when she and her parents went to St. Louis to look for work. Ellis found work through the McGroartys and they lived with assorted relatives in the same house for a time.



With the onset of the Great Depression in 1929, there was no work to be found. The family lost their home, all of their belongings and her parents divorced. Catherine was placed in the Sisters of Mercy convent School run by an aunt, Sister Mary Evangelist, while her mother found work as a midwife. By this time Catherine was left without a home, a father, friends, and her childhood possessions, including her favorite doll (which explains her love for dolls and figurines in later life).



At age thirteen, Mamie and Catherine set out for California getting a ride from a woman whom they later found out was wanted by the police for passing bad checks and driving a stolen car.

Arriving in Los Angeles, Catherine lived with her Aunt Kit and Uncle Roy and went to Bell High School.



At fifteen, she and Mamie went to live in San Juan Capistrano Mission where Mamie became a nurse for the Missions Head Fr. St. Jean OSullivan who was ill with tuberculosis. While there, Catherine went to school and became a typist for a Mr. Harrington who was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institute to convert the Juanino Indian language into the written word. When Fr. OSullivan passed away Mamie and Catherine went with Mr. Harrington (who also resided at the Mission) where Catherine continued typing and Mamie became the housekeeper. After the work was completed, Catherine and Mamie left and Catherine completed her senior year at Garfield High School in Los Angeles.



She joined the Young Peoples Club at Resurrection Parish where she caught the eye of Irving Giltzow. Though money was tight they married and eventually were able to fulfill Catherines dream of having a home of her own. In this home they raised their children, Bill, Bob and Mary. There was always music in the house. Catherine could play the piano beautifully by ear. She also whistled or sang along with the popular songs of the day. Irving played the harmonica. She loved the friends she made along the way and particularly the neighbors who were best friends till this day.



She was active in St. Brigids Church. She was a member of the Mothers Club, the Legion of Mary, and was a Brownie/Girl Scout leader for 6 years. When money was scarce she went to work, first part time at the Broadway Department Store, then later became a full time employee at the Borromeo Guild Catholic Book Store in charge of childrens books, and the last and favorite employment was working for the Los Angeles County Department of Education.



With the children raised and more time on their hands, Catherine and Irving were able to finally travel to see all of the far off places Catherine could only dream about before in the books read as a lonely child. They went through Europe, Hawaii and all around the United States. She continued to travel after Irving died, going to New York, Canada, the Panama Canal and short trips around California.



Irving and Catherines final home was in La Mirada, and she and Irving enjoyed their church, friends, and neighbors. She could never sing enough praises about living in the area. She was enthusiastic about everything she did.



One of her last favorite pastimes, besides garage sales and finding a good bargain, was buying pies at the outlet store and sharing them with friends, family, and neighbors.

On October 23.2013, Catherine passed away at age 97 in her La Mirada home she so treasured. On November 2, 2013 she was buried beside Irving at Rose Hills Cemetery in Whittier, California.