In Loving Memory
Cathy Garrison
1947 – 2021
Memorial Celebration
May 29, 2022
Seattle, WA
Watch Video Recording of Memorial Celebration
Cathy Garrison died on June 7 at age 73. She is survived by her husband Ron Melnikoff, daughter Tara Melnikoff and her partner DJ Charles, and son Jordan Melnikoff.
Cathy was a unique individual, with independent thinking and judgment. She was personable and engaging and would easily respond to humor.
Cathy was raised by her adoptive parents, Robert and Vera Garrison. She grew up in their home in the north Milwaukee suburb of Fox Point. She attended Nicolet High School and the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she received a degree in microbiology. Cathy made many friends during her college years. She shared a house on West Mifflin Street where her friends remembered her love of cooking, guitar playing to accompany folk songs and her participation in anti-Vietnam war protests.
Cathy moved to Seattle in her 20’s. She worked as a Program Specialist for the City of Seattle’s Weatherization and Aging Programs. She then worked for Starbucks Corporate Office as a Transportation Program Manager. Additionally, Cathy loved working out and socializing at the Seattle Athletic Club.
Cathy was married to Ronald Melnikoff, her husband of 46 years. They lived in the same house on Boyer Avenue East for 45 years where they lovingly raised Tara and Jordan and a cat or two. Ron and Cathy were involved in many of their Portage Bay-Roanoke Park neighborhood’s improvement efforts.
Over the course of her lifetime, she traveled to all 7 continents, visiting wild areas, historic towns and large cities. Her adventure travels included climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, trekking in Nepal, a bungy jump in New Zealand and viewing wildlife in the Antarctic and Africa. Cathy also enjoyed visiting ancient ruins, temples and historic sites in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. She loved collecting native textiles, amber, jade and other types of jewelry.
Cathy suffered from Alzheimer’s in her last years, but still took long walks around Seattle, in the Cascade Mountains and in the Tucson area. She died suddenly with a pulmonary embolism likely related to a January Covid 19 infection.
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Cathy loved to travel.
She was an accomplished world traveler.
I will miss our conversations about her travel adventures.
Her passing was very sad and was a difficult time for my brother,
her loving husband and the rest of the family.
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I am thankful to the great friendship I had with Catgy Garrison but continue to have with her beloved husband,, Ron Melnikoff, since the 1970s, and, subsequently their children Jirdan and Tara. Cathy (and Ron) have been great support to me all these as supporting with my environmental professional career which continues now for 45 plus years. Cathy was a great intellect, and I enjoyed her wit and humor, and profound honesty with her work, life experiences, and trials and tribulations. I am sorry that I was not able to visit her before her passing. I greatly miss her, and her care and concern. I also am proud to continue to have Ron as one of my best friends to this day, especially as we have all grown older. Doug Chapin, Yakima, Washington
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Our prayers to Cathy, whom I have known for over 28 years, going back to our days with the SODO Networking Group in the early 1990s. One of the most vivid experience(s) with Cathy is the zip line in Cusco, Peru and her stories about traveling around the world. Thanks, Ron, for putting this memorial together. Fernando Leiva.
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Cathy, my dear and longtime travel companion and buddy, along with hubby, Ron. I will miss you! You were always ready to comment on the sights and sounds we encountered in our wanderings far and wide.. You said unabashedly what you thought, sometimes saying what we thought, too, but what we ourselves would never dare utter out loud! You laughed and explored, and you enjoyed exotic animals in India and Africa.. Your spirit of adventure led you to do all sorts of things and to experience adventures many only dream of. In short, you led a full and exciting life, tho it was sadly cut off too soon. Thank you for all the wonderful memories you helped create that will be with us forever.
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Cathy was a remarkable person for several reasons. She had a powerful sense of what was just or unjust and she readily spoke up for and defended people who were abused or unable to defend themselves. Cathy hated injustice and spoke out vociferously against it whenever the opportunity arose.If something needed to be said then she said it.
I admired and respected Cathy for having the courage of her convictions. She was no wallflower. Good for you Cathy.And Cathy, thank you for showing everyone who knew you what it is to be truly zealous and adventurous about life and all it has to offer. I will never forget you ,Cathy.You made your mark.
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Many enjoyable evenings at the College Club!
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We will always remember Cathy and Ron as a warm and constant presence, walking together around the neighborhood. Our hearts are with you, Ron, walking alone now without your ever-present friend. We expect you are comforted by the many many memories of a lifetime with her, and continue to enjoy revisiting all your travels together in your mind.
Our thoughts are with you, Ron, with warmth and friendship.
Linda and Gregg