Mary Catherine (Washer) Bird

Mary Catherine Washer Bird, age 91, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (formerly of Hodgenville, Kentucky), passed away on September 27, 2018. 

She and her younger sister, Lois Washer Brown, were raised on their family farm outside Hodgenville by their beloved parents, Roy and Lucille Washer.  Upon graduation from high school, Mary Catherine moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where she met a young public accountant who became her husband of nearly 69 years, Philip Lee Bird (formerly of Marengo, Indiana).  They married in December of 1947 at the First Baptist Church in Hodgenville.

As Philip’s career advanced, he and Mary Catherine moved throughout the United States, eventually settling in Upper St. Clair, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Mary Catherine handled each move with grace – smoothly transitioning Philip and their growing family into their new homes, neighborhoods and schools.  She was the primary caregiver for the couple’s four children, teaching them to read before they entered school and ensuring that all of her children were well-mannered and respectful of others.  Mary Catherine’s children and her grandson were her pride and joy.

Upon Philip’s retirement, the couple moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where they enjoyed the beautiful weather and spending time with their sons and daughters-in-law who lived close by.

Mary Catherine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Philip, who passed away a month before their 69th wedding anniversary.  She is survived by her four children – Cynthia Bird of Redlands, California, Stephen (Connie) Bird of Bluffton, South Carolina, David (Catherine) Bird of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and Melinda Bird of Phoenix, Arizona – and one grandson, Gregory Bird of New York City, New York.

Graveside Services will be held at 11:30 AM, Monday,  October 1, 2018, at Red Hill Cemetery in Hodgenville with Dr. Paul Richey, the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Hodgenville, officiating.

Visitation will be after 10 AM, Monday, at Bennett-Bertram Funeral Home in Hodgenville.

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