Catherine Houlihan-Herold

Rye- On January 3rd, after a courageous battle against cancer, Catherine Mary Houlihan-Herold, 71, of Rye, NH passed peacefully at home with her family by her side. Born and raised in Chicopee, Massachusetts to Thomas and Claire Houlihan, Cathy went off to Carlow College in the big city of Pittsburgh, PA where she earned a degree in Speech Pathology and met her future husband. It was love at first sight for Bob, it took some time, but he eventually wore her down and they have been truly inseparable ever since. After finishing school, they settled in Rye and went to work building a family and their dental practice in downtown Portsmouth. If love was a sport, Cathy would be a Hall of Famer. Although her degree was in speech pathology, Cathy decided to dedicate her life to loving and supporting her family and friends. She was infinitely loyal, generous, and a remarkable mix of warmth, kindness, depth, toughness, competence, and fun. An avid runner and focused problem solver; she could often be found on her phone offering a non-judgmental listening ear and great advice, while working selflessly behind the scenes so her family and friends could succeed and achieve their goals. Her love did not stop with family and friends. She traveled the world, including many humanitarian trips to her two favorite countries in Africa, Ethiopia and Uganda. Together, Cathy and Bob would administer polio vaccines, provide dental care in remote villages, and support local projects such as bee farming, building grist mills and providing communities with access to water. Cathy never had a negative thought, never needed recognition, or even a thank you. Forever grateful for all the blessings she had received in life; she made it her life’s mission to make sure she shared her good fortune with others. She was affectionately known as Meme or Mumi, by her greatest joy, her grandchildren - Claire, Duke, Griffin and Vivian. Meme was a constant at all their games and activities and could be heard loudly cheering. She had an extraordinary ability to adapt and be exactly what her grandchildren needed at any given moment – whether as a comforting presence, a wise guide, or a partner in adventure. Her love knew no bounds. She is survived by the love of her life Bob Herold; her children Andrea, Justin and Jeff Herold; daughters-in-law Liz and Camilla Herold; siblings Karen Chaffee (Bill Chaffee), Tucker Houlihan (Christine Enos); nieces, nephews and their families; and The Tadesse’s, her Ethiopian family. She was preceded in death by her mother Claire, her father Thomas, and her brother Michael. To all her friends, thank you for all your love and support. Cathy wanted everyone to know "I have lived a wonderful charmed life, having realized true love, and have absolutely no regrets. " Calling hours are Saturday, January 18, 2025 12-3pm at Remick and Gendron Funeral Home, 811 Lafayette Road Hampton, NH 03842. A celebration of Cathy’s life is being planned and will be shared in the future. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Thoracic Oncology

Catherine Houlihan-Herold

December 22, 1953 - January 3, 2025