Catherine (Cathy) Carr McMillan, 76, a resident of Silver City, New Mexico entered eternal rest Monday, May 24, 2021. Cathy was born February 23, 1945 in Watertown, South Dakota to Bernard Carr and Pauline Wirtz Carr. She attended grade school and high school in Watertown and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from South Dakota State University.
She married Alvin McMillan in 1967 and they raised six children. She resided in Silver City since 1972. Cathy taught in Lordsburg, Roswell, and finally Silver City where she retired as an English teacher and librarian from Silver High School in 2010. She also served as a Horace Mann Insurance agent from 1991 to 2002. She was involved in many community activities over the years including La Leche League, Community Concert, and instructed water exercise classes at Western New Mexico University. She was a member of 24 Club, Imagination Library, and Kappa Sorority, now known as Belles for Education. Cathy was always interested in gardening, solar energy, and energy efficient homes. She designed the family’s first home in Silver City and designed and was the contractor for her retirement home, which was completed in 2009.
Her retirement home was awarded the Green Building Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. She loved and spent numerous hours tending to her garden as well as helping with several community gardens in the area. Cathy also enjoyed hiking in the Gila wilderness, reading, and traveling to many countries throughout the world, mostly with her sister (27 in total). She was most proud of her children and grandchildren.
She is survived by her six children and 11 grandchildren. Michael and Ann of Silver City and their children; Parker, Josh, and Luke; Mark and Clare of Denver and their children, Trevor and Jack; Matthew and Elaine of Albuquerque; Martin and Amanda of Deming and their children Lily, Kaylee, and Josiah; Mitchell and Harumi of Nagoya, Japan and their children Maaya, Kanta, and Karin; and Margaret of Phoenix. She was preceded in death by her mother, Pauline Carr, Alvin McMillan, and her sister, Margaret Bushon.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, July 9 at 2pm at Terrazas Funeral Chapels. Memorials may be made to Imagination Library of Grant County at 1915 North Swan Street Silver City, New Mexico 88061.
Cremation has taken place at Terrazas Funeral Crematory. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels “Trusted care for the ones you love” ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.