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Catherine Lee Tyson, the daughter of Elmer G. and Mildred L. (Prohaska) Stone, was born October 21, 1945 in Grand Island, Nebraska. She graduated from the Palmer, Nebraska High School in 1945 and went on to earn her BA in Education from William Penn University.
Cathy died Thursday, September 25, 2025, at Parke Centre Health Care in Newton. She was 79 years old. Cathy was preceded in death by her parents.
Cathy taught school in Coggin, IA, Knoxville, IA Owyhee, NV, Bonesteel, SD, Meriden-Cleghorn, IA and Newton, IA. She was united in marriage with James Robert Tyson on June 24, 1972, in Knoxville, IA. Cathy retired from teaching in 2003. She loved her church family at Community Heights Alliance Church and helped with Special Olympics for many years.
Cathy so loved kids and teaching she never seem to tire. Often her students would see her out in the community and they would always come to greet her and usually hugs were given by her.
Cathy’s faith in the Lord was so strong it really bonded the family. She was very loving and caring about Eric and Joel. Both of them having autism could not have had a better Mom. She worked with them with school and develop things for them to do. Cathy was always so patient and kind with them. After Eric and Joel were older she went back to school to become a Special Education teacher. It was another gift she had.
She was a great wife.in supporting Jim in his career in teaching, coaching and school administration. This involved 5 moves for the family and she was so supportive every time. She definitely had major responsibility for holding the household together.
Those left to honor Cathy’s memory include her husband, James Robert Tyson; her sons, Robert Eric Tyson and Joel Trent Tyson; her sisters, Rebecca Stone and Debora Davis; and her brother, Steen Stone.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 3, 2025, at Community Heights Alliance Church in Newton. A Facebook Live broadcast will begin at 11:00 a.m. on the Pence Reese Funeral Home Facebook page. The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time, at the church. Memorials may be designated to the Autism Society, Community Heights Alliance Church or Iowa Special Olympics and may be left at the church or at Pence ~ Reese Funeral Home.