Catherine S. Click

Catherine Smiley Click LEXINGTON, SC… Catherine Smiley Click, a longtime resident of Weyers Cave, passed away August 14, 2016 at the Presbyterian Community in Lexington, S.C., where she had resided for the last four years. She was 98. Born in Middlebrook, Va., on April 17, 1918 at the home of her paternal grandparents, she was the eldest of the three children of Alberta Lavinia Marcus Smiley and Robert Sylvester Smiley Sr. Catherine was educated in Staunton public schools and graduated in 1937 from Robert E. Lee High School. After graduating from Dunsmore Business College, she went to work for Community Motors in Staunton. Except for a stint during World War II as an administrative assistant to the vice president of DuPont in Waynesboro, she remained at the auto dealership until her marriage to J. Paul Click in 1949. They settled in his home community of Weyers Cave and began raising their family of two daughters. Catherine enjoyed opening the family home to friends and relatives and delighted in preparing and serving sumptuous meals at her dining room table. Her two grandchildren arrived late in her life, but that did not prevent her from attending myriad dramatic performances and baseball games, basking in their accomplishments as she had those of her daughters. Her spirit and strength of character were evident to all who knew her. As one of her neighbors said years ago, “She is such a force for good.” Until her husband’s death in 1972, the couple operated his State Farm insurance agency, and she served as secretary in the business. They also raised a small herd of Polled Hereford beef cattle on nearby family land. After her husband’s death, for many years she worked part-time for Mark Finch, a family friend who operated a State Farm agency in Staunton.             A lifelong Presbyterian, Catherine was raised in the Second Presbyterian Church in Staunton. After her marriage, she joined Mount Horeb Presbyterian Church, where she was the first female deacon elected to the session and later served as an elder.  She was a longtime member of Circle No. 4, the JOY circle, and she held various offices in both the Circle and the Women of the Church.   She also served on several pastoral search committees to bring new ministers to the congregation.   Catherine was engaged in many community organizations, including the Deep Country Garden Club and Xi Theta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi service sorority, where she held leadership positions and formed deep and abiding friendships. She was a founding member of the Weyers Cave Mother’s Club and served as treasurer of the Weyers Cave Woman’s Club into her early ‘90s. When her daughters were young, she was involved in the P.T.A., and she served on various committees of the Middle River Fair.  For many years, she was active in the Augusta County Republican Party, and she and her husband attended the inaugurations of Governors Linwood Holton and Mills Godwin. She served as an Officer of Election (poll worker) on election days.  After suffering some health issues, in 2012 she moved to the Presbyterian Community in Lexington, S.C., near the home of her younger daughter and family. There, she continued to make Virginia connections and forged many friendships with residents and aides.   Catherine is survived by two daughters, Patricia Catherine Click of Charlottesville and Mary Carolyn Click Taylor; a son-in-law, Henry “Jay” Taylor III, and two grandchildren, Catherine Ann Forrest Taylor and Henry Taylor VII, all of Columbia, S.C.; one sister-in-law, Mildred L. Smiley; two nephews, Michael W. Fields Jr. and Joseph C. Arnold; and three nieces, Susan C. Smiley, Rebecca A. Buchanan, and Margaret E. Arnold. In addition to her parents, Catherine was preceded in death by her husband; her brother, Robert S. Smiley Jr.; her sister, Elizabeth S. Fields; two nieces, Nanci J. Zigler and Sandra F. Seymour; two sisters-in-law, Mary Helen Arnold and Hardenia Click Zigler; and three brothers-in-law, Michael W. Fields Sr., Arlyn S. Arnold, and J. Hiram Zigler.   In her final years, she was cared for by Dr. Hampton Alford and his wonderful medical team.  Along with the Presbyterian Community staff, she enjoyed the companionship and love of devoted caregivers Torricellia Neal, Priscilla Green, Reather Bovain, Gavert Thompson, Gwendolyn Dunn, Cynthia McDuffie and Toni Blackmon. The staff of Hospice Care of Tri-County provided comforting care in her final days. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 10, 2016 at Mount Horeb Presbyterian Church to celebrate her life. Burial will be private.  Memorials may be made to Mount Horeb Presbyterian Church, 4517 Rockfish Road, Grottoes, Va. 24441, or the Weyers Cave Volunteer Fire Company, 1235 Keezletown Road, Weyers Cave, Va. 24486. Because of Catherine’s love of flowers and flower-arranging, she encouraged giving bouquets to the living. A service at the Presbyterian Community will also be held although no date has been set. Henry Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.