Mary Catherine Tinston

Mary Catherine Tinston, nee Luecht, left this world on the 16th of December 2025. She was an altruist who left behind an enormous number of people whose lives were touched by her genuine interest in personal connections and her generosity in lifting people up in their time of need.  Cathie will be dearly missed by all who knew her, especially by her husband of 61 years – Bill, her 3 children – Bill, Mike, Theresa, and her 5 grandchildren – Ashleigh, Alyssa, Samantha, Will, Wyatt.

Cathie grew up in Cleveland, OH and Pensacola, FL. As the oldest of 10, Cathie took on the role of nurturer at a young age. She was a cherished sister who advocated for each one of her siblings at one time or another. It made perfect sense when Cathie decided to become a nurse at age 18; it was an opportunity to care for people in need, and she did just that for over 30 years. In 1964, at age 20, she married Bill. They moved wherever the Navy sent them for the next 33 years. With every move, Cathie not only embraced the opportunity to make as many new friends as possible but also bolstered Bill’s career by ensuring their ever-expanding community of family, friends, and colleagues was top of mind, supported, and felt important. Mom went on to have three children and ensured their lives were rich with experiences and as full of fun and learning in every way she could. She took the Girl Scout troop camping when they were supposed to be learning to cook; she took her sons to see The Who live in concert even though she was a country music fan; she found summer camps and extra classes for the kids; and she established a revolving-door policy for all the neighborhood kids at her house.

Cathie was a storyteller at heart with a thirst for knowledge of the past – history and genealogy. She discovered that our ancestors fought in the American Revolution, the Civil War, and included President Polk. She acquired (and read) thousands of books in her lifetime, always passing the good ones along to the next reader. She loved to talk for hours about what she had learned and became a docent at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. After retirement, Cathie spent her “me” time (when she was not taking care of her family or friends) at the National Archives researching her ancestors. Through her efforts, she established a vast collection of Civil War knowledge and became our family historian. She established connections with everyone she met, while learning as much as she could about those who came before her.

Once you joined Cathie and Bill’s circle, you were in for life. Her Christmas cards had to be started in June, because there were so many, and each held a personal message. The more the merrier was the theme of every party Cathie threw, big and small. She learned to cook for no fewer than 11 when she was just a kid and continued this tradition throughout her life. It worked out well for her sons and husband, each of whom can eat for three, but it also turned her home into a treasured gathering spot for family time, bonding with friends young and old, and huge parties for neighbors and colleagues. In Cathie’s life, everyone was always welcome, nobody ever left hungry, and there was always a lot of love and laughter – which is why so many of us will miss her dearly.

We will hold a celebration of life for Cathie on 17 May 2026 in Alexandria, VA. Details will be announced.