Cathy Styer passed away peacefully in her home following a grueling 5-year battle with ovarian cancer. Cathy grew up in Seattle and on Vashon Island. She graduated from Vashon High School in 1973. Cathy worked as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner for many years in Seattle and Los Angeles. In her early 40's, Cathy began to pursue a second career in veterinary medicine and laboratory research. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University in 2003 and a PhD in comparative pathology from UC Davis in 2010. Cathy was devastated that she could never fully realize her dreams for her second career after her cancer diagnosis. She fought hard to continue working for as long as possible, and her family is grateful for the support provided by her colleagues at UC Davis and the University of Washington.

Cathy was a beach kid, a music lover, and an insatiable reader. We will miss her humor, her child-like enthusiasm and sense of wonder, and her quiet determination.

Cathy was preceded in death by her parents, two siblings, and a beloved niece. She is survived by several sisters, in-laws, and nieces and nephews. Cathy cherished her role as the middle of seven children, feeling that it gave her a unique connection with all of her family members.

A graveside service to commemorate Cathy's life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 2014 at the Vashon Cemetery.