Catherine Joanne Wiggins

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 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 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:

· Non-euthanizing animal shelters or organizations

· American Cancer Society (because "all cancer sucks!")

· Hume Lake Christian Camps – Camper Scholarships

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