COSTA MESA, Calif. — Catherine Marie Goodrum (McCormack) passed away Sept. 23, 2016, in Costa Mesa at the age of 94.

She was born Feb. 28, 1922, in Vicksburg to Rose Eleanor McCormack (Douat) and Joseph Xavier McCormack.  She was the second child of eight, and her parents were both deaf.  She often commented that if not for family and the local parish they most certainly would not have survived the great depression.

She attended the St. Francis Xavier Academy for Girls and Carr Central High School in Vicksburg.

She moved to Orange County, California with an aunt and uncle in 1938, where she attended and graduated from Fullerton High School in 1941.

Following secretarial school, she went to work for the Army Air Corps for the duration of World War II and for a short time after.  She then went to work at Hughes Aircraft Company as an executive secretary and retired in 1987.

Active in retirement, she traveled widely and volunteered at St. Joachim Parish in Costa Mesa for many things, including cleaning, money counting, and Eucharistic minister. She also worked for many years helping with letter writing on behalf of the Missionaries of Charity. She loved desserts and her favorite saying was “Eat dessert first”.

Catherine was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Goodrum; sisters, Ann Barnes, Betty Brown and Joan Trahan; and brothers, Joe McCormack, John McCormack, Pat McCormack and Charles McCormack.

She is survived by her son, Tony of Newport Beach; 26 nieces and nephews; and grand-nieces and grand nephews. And in her last five years, her caregiver Christine Santiago.

Services in Costa Mesa will include visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harbor Lawn-Mount Olive Mortuary on Sept. 29, 2016; with a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at St Joachim Catholic Church followed by graveside services at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery on Sept. 30, 2016.