Catherine Joanne Wiggins

A memorial service to celebrate Cathy’s life is scheduled for Friday, February 28, 2025, at 2:00 pm. It will be held at Valley Baptist Church in the “Multi-Purpose Building” at 4800 Fruitvale Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93308. The closest parking is on the south side of the facilities at the northeast corner of Hageman Rd & Fruitvale Ave. 

There will be a reception immediately following the service from 3-5 pm in the same room with full meal, drink, and dessert service. 

Please wear your favorite bright colors in celebration of her joyous spirit and the unimaginable joy and love she’s experiencing in heaven now!

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Catherine Joanne was born July 20, 1967 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She joined parents Robert and Joyce and sister Cheryl to complete the Craven family.

A year later, the family moved to San Jose, CA where Cathy grew up. She attended neighborhood schools and graduated from Lynbrook High School where she sang in the choir and jazz choir. She was also active in her church singing in choirs and participating in children’s and youth activities.

Cathy loved children and knew she wanted to be a preschool teacher. She graduated with an AA from De Anza Community College and a BA from San Jose State University with a major in Child Development. She taught at various preschools in San Jose for several years.

She jumped at the opportunity to return to Hume Lake Christian Camps for a singles conference with some new friends from the Careers group at Crossroads Bible Church. It was there that she met her future husband, Scott Wiggins. They were married on September 28, 1996 and made their home in Bakersfield, CA.

Son Nathaniel was born to them August 16, 2001, and she delighted in being a mother. She especially enjoyed the 20-minute drive time to and from work/school with Nathaniel from 2-1/2 years through sixth grade when they had many special conversations.

She also delighted in studying the Bible and remained in her Bible Study Fellowship class as long as was possible. She taught pre-Kindergarten at Readyland Preschool/Heritage Academy for twenty years until cancer forced her retirement in 2018.

She fought the disease for over six years, undergoing surgeries, and many radiation and chemotherapy treatments. There were brief periods when she could enjoy a normal life. But when her body could no longer tolerate treatments, her doctor put her on Hospice home care. When her sister asked what that would mean, Cathy replied that they would care for her and then she would go see Jesus. And that is what she did on December 18, 2024.

Cathy was preceded in death by her grandparents, aunts, uncles, father-in-law, her Daddy and her much loved cat, Pipsqueak, or “Pip”. She is survived by her husband Scott, son Nathaniel, mother Joyce Craven, sister and brother-in-law Cheryl and Tim Mattos and many extended family members and friends.

Cathy asked that anyone wishing to send gifts instead support the following organizations and efforts that were dear to her heart:

• Hume Lake Christian Camps – Camper Scholarships (Call Hume at (559) 305-7770 to donate to their “Camperships” fund in memory of Cathy.)
• American Cancer Society (because all cancer sucks!)
• Non-euthanizing animal shelters or organizations