Catherine Williams

Catherine June (Leake) Williams, 95, died Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Sugarcreek Care Center.

She was born June 8, 1931 in Pittsburgh, to the late Donald Eugene and Verna A. (Theisen) Leake.

She was married to Carlton "Cartie" Carter Williams for 68 years.

She moved to Cochranton at the age of ten, and worked at the family's general store at Hollabaugh's Beach. She was fondly known by the nickname "Minnie" to store customers. During warm weather she combed the area grass for nightcrawlers, and sold them to the fisherman that patronized the store. She was proud of her nightcrawler enterprise, and spoke of it fondly in later years. She briefly accompanied her husband to Fort Sheridan near Chicago during his military service.

Catherine graduated from Cochranton High School in 1948. She married in 1952 and was a fulltime homemaker. She was known for her cooking and baking, and her pies were a highlight of many area social events. She was also a talented seamstress, and enjoyed spending time in her garden. She was lovingly referred to as "the best orthopedic nurse" for her tireless care of her husband and daughters after numerous surgeries.

She is survived by two daughters, Cathleen Anne (Carlie) Ream of Hanover, PA, and Carrie Anne Williams of State College, PA; also surviving are nieces Diane Longo and MaryAnn Thompson, both of Meadville, as well as many out-of-state nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Grace Caldwell and Verna M. Leake, and a brother, Donald Eugene Leake.

Please sign Catherine’s online guestbook at www.hatheway-tedesco.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hatheway-Tedesco Funeral Home and Crematory, 614 Baldwin St., Meadville, PA 16335.