Funeral Services For Catherine Dugan

Catherine I. Dugan 94, of Albion, NE passed away on Sunday, March 12, 2017 at the Boone County Health Center in Albion, NE
 
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 16, 2017 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Albion, NE with Rev. Mark Tomasiewicz officiating. Graveside Service will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday in O’Connor Cemetery rural Greeley, NE. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion, NE with a 7:00 p.m. Wake Service. Visitation will continue after 9:00 a.m. on Thursday at the church.

Catherine Ilene Dugan, the daughter of James H. and Katherine Agnes (Mulcahy) Gray was born in Freeman Valley south of Greeley, NE.  Catherine was the eighth of eleven children in her family.  She attended country school and graduated from Sacred Heart High School with the class of 1939.  Catherine worked as a waitress in Ord while living with her brother.  She loved working at a dress shop in Omaha before returning to Greeley to work for the ASC office.  While working there she met a handsome young farmer Don Dugan from the O’Connor Valley east of Greeley, NE.

On June 25, 1945 Catherine was united in marriage to Donald L. Dugan in the Church of the Visitation in O’Connor near Greeley, NE.  For 22 years, the couple farmed one mile east of the O’Connor church.  In the 50’s they put in the first irrigation well in the area. Seven children were born to this happy couple.  Don passed away in1967.  One year later Catherine moved her family to Omaha and began working a temporary job for Farmers National Farm Management Company.  The job became fulltime and she was a valued employee there for over 20 years.  She was described as one of the best liked and helpful people in the Omaha office.  She educated the young employees in the difference between livestock terms and land descriptions. Catherine’s two goals were to graduate each of her children in college or trade school, and to pay off the farms she and Don had bought.

Following retirement Catherine hit the gift shop and craft show tour with her crystal creations, painting and wood crafts.  She met many new friends in the years she ran her shop from home.  Aunt Kate has always been known for her Open-Door Policy, young and old knew any time of day or night you could find a clean bed and hot meal at Kate’s house in Millard.   Catherine has the lone distinction of being a Gold Star Mother and a Gold Star Grandmother.  Catherine was currently a member of the St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Albion, NE as well as a member of the Greeley and Millard VFW Auxiliary.

Catherine has bravely faced loss in death of her husband as a young wife and mother, and sadly her three sons: SPC Edward Dugan in June of 1970, Attorney Dan Dugan in 1981, and Master Mechanic Bradley Dugan in 1995.  She has also lost two grandsons Matthew Iwan in 1988 and Captain Edward Iwan in Fallujah Iraq in 2004.  Also, preceding her in death are her four brothers: Edward, James, William, and Walter; six sisters: Florence Gray, Mildred Thompson, Mary Neary, Rosemary Thompson, Irene Racicky, and adopted sister Julia Barrett Wittauer.

Catherine is survived by her four children: Donna (Kenneth) Iwan of Albion, NE; Greg Dugan of Pine, CO; Michael Dugan of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; John (Kay) Dugan of Elkhorn, NE; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

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