Dateline: Clifton Park, NY
Catherine Elizabeth Jordan, age 54, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family at her home on August 15, 2021. She was born on July 30, 1967, in Bronx, NY and was the daughter of April Hedley Jordan of Wingdale, NY and the late Michael Jordan.
Above all other things, what stood out most about Cathy was her smile. Not only for how beautiful it was, but for how well it represented her warm, welcoming, and supportive spirit. She made everyone around her feel special and happy. Her gifts helped raise two wonderful daughters and build a strong family and network of friends. Cathy, Steve, and the girls have close relationships with many members of the Jordan and Attanasio families despite living 2-4 hours away from most of them. Car trips to see April, her sister Jennifer, her brother Sean and other family were always the most important things in Cathy's life.
Cathy was also a role model for her daughters and others in other ways. Her love of learning and emphasis on education and achievement are noted throughout her life. She was the Valedictorian of the Dover (NY) High School Class of 1985. Cathy received her Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from Lafayette College (PA) in 1989 and her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D) from Lehigh University (PA) in 1996. She has won multiple awards including being named to Alpha Sigma Mu, the international Metallurgical Honor Society. Cathy was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority and was part of the Lafayette College choir.
Cathy worked for the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory for 25 years, in Niskayuna and West Milton, NY. Her contributions include materials and design work for the Virginia class fast attack submarines and the future Columbia class ballistic missile submarines. Later in her career she became a Six Sigma Black Belt and used this talent to support training of sailors who operate nuclear power plants on US Navy submarines and aircraft carriers.
Cathy loved to travel and see new places. Her family traveled through much of the US, and enjoyed trips to Europe, Canada, and Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. Her all-time favorite trip was to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks where Jenn and Liz got to ride horses in the mountains and experience nature and wild animals firsthand. Her other passions included sports – field hockey, softball, basketball, rowing – Irish heritage, the flute, convertible rides, history, and the ocean (Delaware, Long Island and New Jersey beaches). She was an All-County field hockey defender in high school. Cathy loved charity and helping others – she won an award for leading blood drives for the American Red Cross.
During the past 8 years, Cathy tenaciously battled a very aggressive form of breast cancer – triple negative and inflammatory breast cancer. She made many, many trips to Dana Farber Cancer Center in Boston and Albany Medical Center. She is a pioneer in the successful use of immunotherapy to treat breast cancer. The success of this and other advanced treatments not only gave Cathy additional years with her family, but also paved the way for improved treatments for other cancer patients in the future. Cathy shared her experiences in an effort to help others - she wrote an article that was published online in Cancer.Net and was interviewed on television on Channel 13 in Albany. During the past 8 years, Cathy continued her life including work, travel and time with family and friends.
She is survived by her devoted husband Steven Attanasio; her precious daughters Jennifer Attanasio and Elizabeth Attanasio; her mother April Jordan; her sister Jennifer (Lee) Wood; her brother Sean (Christa) Jordan and her mother and father-in-law, Arthur (Madeline) Attanasio
Friends and relatives are invited and may call on Thursday, August 19, 2021from 4:00 pm-7:00 pm at Townley and Wheeler Funeral Home 21 Midline Road, Ballston Lake. Masks are not required; unvaccinated individuals are requested to wear a mask while indoors.
A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated on Friday, August 20, 2021 at 10:00 am at St. Edward the Confessor Church, 569 Clifton Park Center Rd, Clifton Park, NY.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Catherine’s name to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215 or to New York Oncology and Hematology, Clifton Park NY 12065.