Catherine Ann Strong

      After surviving the grief of raising two wild teenage boys, an (indirect) lightning strike, and Arkansas mosquitos, Catherine “Cathy” Ann Strong of Little Rock, Arkansas passed away peacefully in her sleep at home in bed on Sunday, May 15, 2022. She was born September 28, 1962 to parents William “Bill” Plummer and Mary Plummer (Kline). She was 59 years young.

      Cathy will be remembered as a hard worker, faithful friend, compassionate neighbor, awesome cook, and hilarious story-teller who loved to spend time with people and look for ways to serve them. She loved her family and friends and especially loved to spend time with them sharing stories, people-watching, shopping, cooking, playing cards and games, watching movies, and listening to music. Over and above all she loved doing, taking care of others and finding helpful ways to serve them and improve their lives is what most will remember her for. She had a lovely laugh, which she employed generously. She had a unique way of viewing the world and everyone in it that often resulted in shared laughter. She had a special way of connecting with others and she never met a stranger. She loved sweets and loved sharing those sweets with others more than the sweets themselves. Cathy was as much shy as she was extroverted. She refused to eat in front of her husband, Tony Strong, while they were dating and much of the time of their marriage. She had a way of helping people open up to share their pain, which she desired to help them carry, while often carrying much of her own herself. She desired to avoid burdening others. She saw herself as a burden carrier. Humor was the way she often helped others overcome extreme sadness and pain.

      Cathy spent much of her adult life serving others out of the kindness of her heart, but this was not because it was all she could do. After working at Schlotzky’s Deli in high school, Cathy pursued and obtained multiple licenses in the medical field, including licensing to become a paramedic and later a CNA. Early in her adult life, Cathy served as a nursing assistant for multiple doctors and the JFK Foot Clinic. The Foot Clinic job was one of her favorites because she enjoyed assisting in various foot surgeries. Surgeries, in general, intrigued her and later in life she would spend time watching surgeries on tv. Her gifts and skillsets in nursing were used on behalf of family and friends. She was a stay-a-home mom for many years of her life because her sons were severely ill early in their lives and needed special care. She would later use these gifts and skills, including administering shots, to serve her aging grandmother, Jonilee Plummer, who came to live with her after she was unable to care for herself. She worked diligently alongside Jonilee’s doctors to rehabilitate her and help her regain function she previously lost. Before all was said and done, “Grandma Jon” was able to walk (with assistance) on her own and give herself baths for a season. This was a testament to the hard work and long hours she put in regarding serving her grandmother. Cathy and her husband also took in various family members at times of hardship and helped them overcome the emotional and spiritual hardships that were negatively impacting them. People came into Cathy’s house broken and left better.

      Nursing wasn’t the only field she flourished professionally. Cathy had gifts of administration and oversight. After keeping children in the home and serving as janitorial staff at Oak Park Baptist to help the family with income, she pursued a job in the childcare field. Cathy loved serving and caring for children and would spend a large part of her professional and private career in this area. She was hired as assistant manager over childcare at Little Rock’s First Baptist Church. She worked there for several years and built great friendships with parents and staff alike. She later worked for the Little Rock School District and served at several schools as in an administrative role. The majority of her time was spent at Booker Arts Magnet where she made life-long friendships and brought life and love to all who went to school or worked there. She loved going out to eat or hang out with her friends from work and many of them became like family. She later worked for Brady Elementary and Terry Elementary for a season and brought the same joy and love of service she took with her everywhere she went.

      Cathy’s last area of public work experience was in the same field she began in early in her adult life. She served as a nursing assistant to several older and disabled patients before she eventually had to stop working because of her own disabilities and constant battles with pain. Though she had to stop working (officially), but never stopped serving and using her gifts for others. She dedicated her life to serving and caring for others. At the end of her life, she battled daily with Lupus, fibromyalgia, and several diseases which caused her great pain. She fought for joy to the end in spite of the constant pain and attacks on her sleep. Her family will remember her as much as a fighter as she will be remembered as a servant of others.

      One of the areas she really loved to serve others was cooking for them. She loved to cook and to bake. She would make pastries, pies, homemade bread, and always made the dressing for the family’s Thanksgiving meal. Cathy also loved spending time with her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. Though she may not have been formally recognized, she won Mother-of-the-Year and Grandmother-of the-Year awards every year, almost from the time she became a mother. These unique, one-of-a-kind hand drawn and written awards would be proudly displayed wherever she was alongside various pictures of the people who made her feel like her life mattered. She could never get enough pictures (or drawings). Before passing, she grew an especially strong relationship with her oldest grandchild, Alyssa Strong, and her two children, Elijah and Takai.

      Cathy was preceded in death by her father, William “Bill” Plummer, and her beloved stepfather, Donald “Don” Smith, and one grandchild, Corban Strong of Minneapolis. She leaves behind a legacy of faithfulness and service to those who remain which include her mother, Mary Smith (Kline) of Little Rock, AR and two sons, Michael (and wife, Laura Beth) of Minneapolis, MN and Christopher Strong of Little Rock, AR, two brothers, Joseph (and wife, Lisa) of Alexander, AR and Patrick Plummer of Little Rock, AR and her beloved dog, Sammy. She also leaves behind ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Her grandchildren are Alyssa Strong of Bryant, AR and Felicity, Julianna, Anna, John, Joshua, Ruby, Samuel, Seth, and (soonto-be) Eden Elizabeth of Minneapolis, MN. Her beloved great grandchildren are Elijah Strong and Takai Pickens of Bryant, AR. She leaves behind two nieces, Kristen Weeks of IL and Natalie McConnell of TX. She also leaves behind countless friends and neighbors that will forever be impacted by her joyful laugh, humorous imagination, and caring touch. If the names of those she touched were to be added, there wouldn’t be enough space on the internet to contain them!

      Arrangements are under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes. A private family ceremony is set to be planned for some time in the future. For information on the ceremony, contact Linda Kline at 501-993-1110 or Joseph Plummer at 501-626-1360.