Catherine Elizabeth Hair died Good Friday night, April 6, 2012.  The eldest child of William and Elizabeth, she was born on June 20, 1919 in Wabasha County, MN.  She was a graduate of Plainview High School.

On June 17, 1940 Catherine married Lloyd Hair at The Little Brown Church in Nashua Iowa. Catherine, employed for 34 years at Donaldson's/Carson Pirie Scott and Lloyd, a salesman, built their life together in Rochester, MN where they raised three children. In 1991 Lloyd preceded Catherine in death after 52 years of marriage.  They were members of Grace Lutheran Church, a community that remained of great importance to Catherine throughout her life.

Her final weeks were spent at Sunrise Cottages and she passed away at St. Mary's hospital.  The family is grateful for the care she received at both facilities.

Though she was too humble to admit so, Catherine excelled at both cooking and needlework.  Each homemade meal and hand stitched quilt she made for her family was a gift crafted out of love.   Her strong will and dry wit will be missed by her younger siblings William (Sally) Rother and Mary Margaret Beyer; her children Phyllis (Kenneth) Cosgrove, Mary Ann (Robert) Kennedy and James (Renee) Hair, all of Rochester; as well as her seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral services lead by Catherine's trusted pastor, Rev. Gregory Heidorn, will be held Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. at Grace Lutheran Church.  Visitation will be held Wednesday April 11, 2012 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. and one half hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.  Catherine will be buried next to her husband in the Byron Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family is thankful for memorials made in Catherine's name to Grace Lutheran Church or a favorite charity of the giver's choosing.

Macken Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com