Catherine Cecelia Abbs, 63, of La Porte, Indiana; formerly of Key Largo, Florida; Briarcliff, Texas; Rolling Prairie, Indiana; Berwyn, Brookfield, and Maywood, Illinois; died suddenly on Dec. 29, 2025 while on vacation in West Baden, Indiana.
Born on Sept. 6, 1962 in Oak Park, the fifth of six children, to the late Bertram G. and Jacqueline J. Abbs (nee Stevens), she always made an impact. Kind, giving, selfless, and fearless, she spent her early years in Maywood, attended St. Eulalia Catholic School, then moved to Brookfield. She attended Riverside-Brookfield H.S. and graduated in 1980.
Catherine and her third husband, Christopher, found many ways to enjoy life to its fullest. In time, the couple moved to the Florida Keys. She always possessed a sense of childlike wonder when it came to new things and new places.
In 2022, selling their Florida Keys home, they came back north to be accessible to both their aging mothers and her daughter and two grandchildren. She held a variety of jobs in her lifetime, in sales at a travel agency, Trane Air Conditioning, and a music store. She worked catering at Indiana Deli. She was in the golf industry, working for Ben Crenshaw at Austin Golf Club and at Omni Barton Creek Resort.
Catherine is survived by her husband, Christopher C. Evans; her children, Hayley M. Sanders, Caitlin I. Sanders, Cassandra Vanek; her step-daughter Rebecca L. Sage, and two wonderful grandchildren, Maxwell M. Sanders and Jacob D. Sanders; her siblings, Susan (Steven) Bejlovec, Stephen (Mary) Abbs, Barbara (Bob) Lumpkins, and Regina (Kevin) Gahr; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She was pre-deceased by her parents and her sister, Lisa (David) Kummerow.
A celebration to honor her will be held on March 21 at Irish Times Pub, 8869 Burlington Ave., Brookfield, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
A scattering of her ashes is planned for Sept. 6 in Savannah, Georgia. Those who know her will understand the dates’ significance and the location she wanted.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name to The COPD Foundation or The American Lung Association would be appreciated.