Catherine "Cathy" Inez Blackburn Barnes

Catherine “Cathy” Inez Blackburn Barnes passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 9th, 2025. She was born on April 9th, 1948, in Miami, Florida to William and Evelyn Blackburn. As a child, Cathy, along with her three sisters and two brothers, lived in a succession of cities across the south; Miami, Florida, Portsmouth, Virginia, Decatur, Alabama and Chapel Hill, North Carolina to name a few. In 1966, she began college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in Creative Writing; ultimately she would earn her Accounting degree from Georgia State University in 1979. Post college, Cathy fulfilled a lifelong dream and started a family, welcoming her daughter, Kate, and son, Michael, in 1984 and 1987 respectively. She relished this time as a stay-at-home mom, parlaying her passion for childcare into a daycare that prospered in the small town of Kinston, NC. Around this time she was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, a plot twist she navigated with a determination and grace that would come to define her. In the early 90’s, Cathy relocated back to the Research Triangle, and with the move came renewed career ambitions. She took a job with Wake County Public Schools as an Accountant which proved to be a challenge as the tremor in her right hand intensified. In true fashion, Cathy taught herself to type and write with her left hand, claiming she was ambidextrous when questioned. Eventually she took on a job at Project Enlightenment, as the Manager of the Parent/Teacher Resource Center. So neatly aligned to her passion for working with children, the years she spent at “Project” were some of the happiest of her life. In 1998, Cathy and the kids moved to St. Augustine, Florida to be closer to her sister Teresa. She enjoyed a beautiful life in the idyllic southern beach town, and watched her children graduate highschool and go onto college. (A milestone that defied her original Parkinson’s prognosis.) While in St. Augustine, Cathy settled into the community, starting a Parkinson’s support group. She was a voracious reader and worked as a volunteer at the St. John’s County Public Library, and enjoyed working in her garden. In 2011, Cathy moved to Westminster Woods on Julington Creek. At Westminster, she became a favorite of the care-giving staff and a pillar of the community through her near 15-year tenure as a resident. She was known for her sweet disposition, quick wit and great smile. Cathy is survived by her daughter, Kate and her son, Michael. Additionally, she is survived by her sisters, Teresa Miska, (and husband George Miska), Susan Newman and Phyllis Barbour, (and husband Steve Barbour), and her brother, Peter Blackburn, (and wife Linda Blackburn). Cathy was predeceased by her brother Tim, and her parents William and Evelyn Blackburn. A celebration of life has been tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 9th at the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine, FL. If you are compelled to donate on Cathy’s behalf, please consider the Westminster Communities Foundation linked here or the Project Enlightenment Foundation linked here

Catherine "Cathy" Inez Blackburn Barnes

April 9, 1948 - February 9, 2025