Obituaries

Catherine (Cathy) A. James, a longtime West Scranton resident, passed away peacefully Tuesday morning at Geisinger Community Medical Center after a courageous four year battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 69 years young.
She is survived by her high school sweetheart, best friend and the love of her life, William (Bill) D. James. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 27th.
Born on March 13, 1954 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Cathy was the daughter of the late Elmer J. and Taiko (Otomo) Byers. She was a graduate of West Scranton High School and, upon raising her family, she served as bookkeeper for her husband’s business, W.D. James Mechanical Contracting, Inc. She began working at Moses Taylor Hospital where she faithfully served as the Emergency Room secretary for three decades prior to her illness. Cathy’s dedication, work ethic and ability to carry a workload well beyond the scope of her job description made her invaluable to the hospital and unforgettable to her co-workers.
Cathy was the epitome of class. She was always impeccably dressed and her style, fashion sense and pristine appearance were always to perfection. She was friendly, engaging and undoubtedly someone who had a knack of leaving a lasting impression.
She absolutely loved flowers evident by her amazing flower garden. She was proud of her family and the legacy she leaves behind, especially with her granddaughter Julianna James who Cathy loved “to the moon and back.”
Cathy faced a grim prognosis with a sense of fearlessness, admirable to all who knew her. Losing her as the heart of her family is truly heart-breaking, but her spirit will long live on through her loved ones.
She is survived by her adoring family, husband Bill; children, William M. James and wife Alycia of Scranton and Kelly James of Scranton; her granddaughter, Julianna James of Duryea; her siblings, Emily Lovallo of Clarks Summit and Kenneth Byers and wife Diana of Hawley; nieces and nephews; and, a lifelong animal lover, her fur babies. A brother, Elmer James Byers, also preceded her in death.
Her family would like to acknowledge and thank Drs. Major Kenneth Lee, IV, Kenneth Sebastianelli, Thomas Churilla and Lisa Thomas and their wonderful staffs for their collective care, kindness and compassion throughout Cathy’s illness.
Funeral services are scheduled to begin on Saturday at 9:00 AM from the Kevin K. Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 125 N. Main Ave., Scranton, with a 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick’s Church, 1403 Jackson Street in Scranton, to be celebrated by Rev. Richard Fox, Pastor. Burial will follow at the Cathedral Cemetery. Family and friends may pay their respects on Friday between 4-7:00 PM at the funeral home.