Florence Irene Cattani

Florence Irene Cattani, long-time resident of Tempe, AZ, died on September 22 at the age of 80. Irene was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 30, 1936, to Ernest Oates and Florence Marsh, and was the third of four siblings. Irene graduated from Brigham Young University at the age of 18. Shortly before graduation, she married Ray Cattani and started a family that grew to include children Keith, Kent, Kyle, Kathleen, and Kara. Irene eventually returned to school and earned a Master’s degree in Child Development from Arizona State University. She began teaching at ASU and was the founding director of the Psychology Department’s Child Study Lab, working there until 1976, when the family moved to Reedley, California, where her husband Ray served as President of Reedley College and later as Chancellor of the State Center Community College District. After the move to California, Irene began taking classes to work toward a PhD in Early Childhood Education, which she earned from ASU in 1982. While completing her degree, she also obtained a counseling license and started a counseling practice. Irene directed an outdoor camp for young women for her church for many years. She loved to read, and she enjoyed camping and hiking, as well as music and sports. Her family remembers her as a loving wife, mother, daughter, and friend. She had a keen intellect, as well as a wonderful sense of humor and a great capacity for friendship. In 1982, Irene had surgery to remove a brain tumor, and she suffered from complications that impaired her memory and hearing. For the past 30 years, she has lived in Tempe with her son Kent, who, along with her son Keith, provided and coordinated her care, assisted by many dedicated caregivers, including Dee Hooten, Kelli Dalton, Dana Nutz, and Rimma Cattani. Irene was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her three siblings. She is survived by her foster brother Ed Wells, her five children and their spouses, Keith (Rimma Vladimirovna), Kent, Kyle (Dana Haight), Kathleen (Mark Gallagher), and Kara (Gary Burlingame), as well as grandchildren Arman, Angela, Peter, Thomas, Brady, Nicky, David, Chad, Shawn, Brooke, Shelby, Sommer, Sofia and Seth. Services will be held October 1st at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Del Rio Chapel, 1871 E Del Rio Dr, Tempe, AZ 85282. There will be a viewing at 10 am, followed by a funeral service at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ray and Irene Cattani scholarship fund at Mesa Community College (mesacc.edu/give) or the Ray and Irene Cattani scholarship fund at Reedley College (Reedley College Foundation, 995 N. Reed Ave., Reedley, CA 93654). Richardson Funeral Home, Tempe, Arizona is compassionately serving the family.

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Visitation

Saturday October 1st, 2016

10:00am - 11:00am

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Funeral Service

Saturday October 1st, 2016

11:00am

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