© 2016 International Urantia Association (IUA)
¶ Farewell to Cathy Jones
¶ Special Issue
Cathy Jones graduated from this world on September 17, 2016 at the age of 91. Cathy was loved and respected by many students of The Urantia Book all over the world. She played a prominent role in helping to build Urantia Association International and worked tirelessly for the revelation. She served as the Association’s first Executive Administrator and established this newsletter, Tidings to keep us in touch with news and events of Urantia associations across the globe.
The memorial ceremony was held October 10. On behalf of Urantia Association and in honor of Cathy’s dedication to the revelation, Rick Lyon presented Cathy’s granddaughter and grandson with the Amadon Award.
In the words of Cathy’s granddaughter Casey:
My grandmother and I shared a very special relationship. More than anything she was my best friend. She taught me many things throughout my life but most importantly how to love unconditionally. I would like everyone to know that she truly believed we were all created equally and that no man should judge another, yet embrace and love each other. In her very last journal entry she wrote….”you are born and then you die and all you should do in-between is love”.
The following testimonies show what an inspiration Cathy was to so many students of The Urantia Book; starting with Patricia Snyder who was a close personal friend – one who championed her during the trying times of her illness in her final months and helped to raise the funds needed to bring Cathy home from China so she could pass peacefully with her family by her side.
¶ Patricia Snyder
USA
My heart sings and cries to inform you that Cathy passed last weekend. Casey, her granddaughter was with her, holding her hand. Casey said, it was a beautiful transition. With a singing and crying heart, I said, how could it have been any different with our Cathy. Thank you all for your support, prayers and good vibes throughout our Cathy’s intense trials to get home. Her real journey has started. Let’s hear it for Agondonters!!
¶ Gaetan Charland
Quebec, Canada
I met Cathy Jones for the first time in the fall of 1999 during a celebration meeting for my local association in Quebec, Canada. Since that time, Cathy has been part of my life, as a friend and as a mentor. Cathy was always the first one to volunteer when a task had to be done, no matter how big, small or important it was. This for me was the mark of a true leader and servant. As the first President of Urantia Association International, Cathy was my mentor during many years. She then served as the Executive Administrator and she was ever the generous contributor of her time and experience as co-founder of the Association.
What I remember of Cathy’s personality is her good nature, patience, generosity and stalwart integrity to the mission of The Urantia Book and its teachings. There is no doubt in my mind that her spirit of service will continue to be an example to many of us as we journey onward in our life.
I look forward to the time when I will meet and work with her again in the next world of our new life.
¶ Chris Wood
President of Urantia Association International
Cathy Jones put you to work. In the Ordination of the Twelve we are told
The carpenter’s son never taught character building; he taught character growth…” [UB 140:8.27]
Cathy urged you to grow, she put you in the position where you could choose positive action, and she defended you in your mistakes as grand moments for learning and personal evolution.
The first time I met Cathy, she put me to work identifying regional leaders and building a local community in my home city. The second time we met she sat me down for a few hours of folding letters, addressing envelops, and taking them to the post. 18 years later, just a few months ago, I spoke with her for the last time and she laid out plans for synchronizing local and regional conferences throughout the United States. She was always leading.
Study The Urantia Book, Love One Another, Get to Work. I am one of many people throughout the world who Cathy guided into leadership. She changed my life. It was an honor to serve with Cathy Jones.
¶ Rick Lyon
Indiana, USA
Cathy was one of the driving forces in the creation of Urantia Association International. She spent many hours on the phone and many days traveling to help students of The Urantia Book set up most of our local associations. We have several file cabinets of correspondence that she wrote in her efforts to create and lead the Association. She spent many days away from home living in Chicago at 533 working tirelessly for this revelation and this organization. She was a great teacher and leader of this revelation and her love for people encompassed everyone she met. She not only believed these teachings but she lived them. She had great faith in and hope for our Association and for all of us.
¶ Carlos Runinsky
Buenos Aires, Argentina
I can say that Cathy Jones is my sister for ever. I have her in my soul. Since I first met her I felt we were family. Since that day, around 15 years ago, I keep a place in my heart that belongs to her. She showed me her love and her irrevocable belief in The Urantia Book, as well as her commitment to building an organization of readers and students of the Revelation. She came to South America not knowing the language nor the readers, but with the mission of helping to create a Urantia Association. This happened at the first Conference of readers taking place in Santiago de Chile, where I flew from Buenos Aires. And the task was accomplished; the Urantia Association of the Southern Cone was born. But although this chapter of the Association didn’t last long, it provided the foundations for the creation of different Associations in those countries whose readers tried to work together. On that day she designated the officers of the first board, and I became its Vice President. She chose me as a leader for no reason, but by doing so I felt I was obliged to act according to her expectations, and I’ve been involved with the Urantia movement since that day, mainly because of her. She has always been an inspiration for all who had the lucky chance of meeting her.
I’ve been trying to recall some of our conversations and I remember asking and receiving her wise advice many times. The most vivid impression is the loving feeling that comes to my conscious when I think of Cathy. She is a big loving soul that shows us the way of how to be a child of God…
Hope to see you again soon dear Cathy, (not too soon though 
Enjoy your new residence. Many of us will miss your physical presence, the special sound of your voice, but you remain in our minds and in our hearts. I love you always dear Sister!! Thanks for everything!!
¶ Marian Hughes
Hawaii, USA
I had the privilege of calling Cathy a friend, mentor and sister. This morning I felt that her angels raised up their wings to transport her beautiful soul to Mansion World number one. Cathy worked tirelessly with her Rolodex in her office at the Foundation to build the new readership organization. She single handily called us and gathered the scattered flock together to form Urantia Association International. She then started to travel the USA and the world, licensing many different associations and fostering leaders and teachers to carry on the mission. What a service minded trooper she was and so beloved by so many of us.
So let us all rejoice in the fact that she will soon have her new beautiful morontia form and we will someday be reunited with our dear sister. Let us rejoice that thanks to her friends and family she will have her earthly grave stone close to her home that was so important to her. Let us all keep on with what she so gallantly started and continue to make Urantia Association International the wonderful worldwide organization it has developed into.
In memory of Cathy I will be making donations to both Urantia Association of the United States (UAUS) and Urantia Association International (UAI) and hope many of you will also join me in doing that, for that is truly what she would like us to do as we think of the work she has done.
¶ David Linthicum
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
I first met Cathy at the chartering ceremony for Spirit of Oklahoma in 1997. Over the years she was my mentor and friend, always willing to offer sage advice, support and, above all, words of encouragement that helped me to weather storms along the way. Once, when I was feeling rather down, she told me, in that way she had, to perk up, be patient, keep a long view in mind, do the work, build the basics today and have faith that those that follow will take it from there. I have carried that message with me ever since, and it has served me well. Cathy was the embodiment of loving service and unselfish devotion to the Revelation. She is much loved and will be sorely missed.
¶ Caio Mario Caffe Nascimento
Brazil
Cathy left to us a legacy of successful achievements that certainly help to foster the spiritual progress of humanity. To mention just two: the Urantia Association International, and the Urantia Associations that she founded in several countries of the world. She was endowed with a brilliant personality, a steady character, a determined mind, and a pleasant friendly smile. Charismatic, yes, with a hard and beautiful task to fulfil. And she dit it. How elated we Brazilian students of The Urantia Book were in June 2003, when she handed us the Licensing Agreement between the Urantia Foundation and the Urantia Association of Brazil together with the President book and the flag with three azure blue concentric circles on a white background… The Brazilian Association took its roots and flourished. Cathy was one of those magnificent women who carry the torch of the spiritual progress of humanity – a faithful server, a planetary heroine. God bless your soul and thanks for your accomplished mission and thanks also for the memories.
¶ Gary Rawlings
Wales, UK
I would like to pay my respects and tributes to Catherine Jones who has now departed from Urantia and graduated to the Mansion Worlds. She was my mentor and under her guidance I was able to serve two terms having taken over from her in the position of Membership Chair from 2005 to 2015 for and on behalf of the Association to whom she was a founding member of the organisation. With her visionary ability and exceptional personality, Catherine shone in so many ways, and I, like many others, will miss her dearly. Thank you for going all those many extra miles.
With Catherine in mind, let us all try to remember that:
The weak indulge in resolutions, but the strong act. Life is but a day’s work — do it well. The act is ours; the consequences God’s. <a id=“a156_138”>[Paper, UB 48:7.13]
¶ Carl Ramm
Alaska, USA
While I’d met Cathy briefly at conferences and had exchanged a few emails and phone calls with her, I really didn’t get to know her until she stayed a while with me and my wife Susan. At the time Cathy was in Alaska as part of an effort to help get a state chapter started. Susan and I were living in a tiny, funky old cabin near the end of a back street in a rather questionable part of Anchorage. Cathy never gave the slightest hint of being bothered by any of this. At a time in her life when many people would never consider such a thing, Cathy couch-surfed with near-strangers as casually and simply as if she was twenty three. …She was the soul of graciousness – a delight to be around.
¶ Benet Rutenberg
USA
Cathy has been and remains an inspiration to me. She caused many of us to up our game in service to the revelation. She was both gracious and full of grace. Her smile brought peace and joy to all who were blessed by her company. It is soothing to know that she passed in and up beautifully yet as she lived. We will all miss her but only for a time. It should bring calm and hope to all of us that we will sometime be welcomed by so many of our friends and family on the shores of that not so distant tomorrow.
¶ Alain Cyr
Quebec, Canada
Dear Cathy, if you have risen on the third day, which is my belief, hopefully you will be made aware of my thoughts and appreciation in regard to you even before I pass on to the Morontia worlds and this hope gives me the thrill and enthusiasm of seeing you again in a time where maybe we can jointly participate in some adventure. Thank you for your great work with us in Canada and for the ensemble of the Urantia community. I wish you a superb continuity, a rejuvenated retreat with ongoing projects on the morontia spheres.
¶ Nathen Jansen
President, Urantia Association of Canada (UAC)
On behalf of UAC, we have so many wonderful thoughts of Cathy Jones:
It was back in the 1990s that we became associated with Cathy when she was extensively traveling the world establishing Urantia Associations. In the latter part of that decade, the first Canadian local Urantia Association was formed, Urantia Association of Quebec, followed shortly thereafter with Urantia Association of The Cascades, British Columbia/Alberta. This event took place on the west coast of Canada at a retreat on Bowen Island where many of the Vancouver and area study group members were gathered for the signing of the Urantia Association of The Cascades. They enjoyed meeting and getting to know Cathy’s caring and likeable personality as she was easy to communicate with and we enjoyed being in her presence.
In 1999 Cathy was also seriously committed to establishing the National Urantia Association of Canada, subsequently inaugurated at the Silver Springs Retreat Centre in Ontario, in attendance with the local Northern Light Urantia Association of Ontario. At this memorable gathering and along with her untiring passion for the Association, we all had a lovely time furthering our friendship with Cathy at Silver Springs.
We also have many treasured and fond memories of the times when Cathy was visiting us again on the West Coast of Canada and while helping the local Urantia Association of The Cascades with their joint participation in the IC99 Fellowship Conference in Vancouver, BC. She was a great inspiration for the membership of the local Urantia Association at this conference. She always was found to be working for the greater good of group cooperation where the sincere truth mattered.
Our prayers are with Cathy as she continues the never-ending journey underway for her in Christ Michael’s many mansions.
¶ Enrique Traver
Brazil
I never met Cathy Jones, but I am convinced from all I’ve heard about her, that she made a major difference by assisting our brothers and sisters in setting up the Urantia Associations around the world. According to Rogeriro Silva, the second President of the Urantia Association in Brazil, she was there with Gaetan and others to initiate our Association in Brazil in 2004. Rogério told us that he remembers her very well. Her sympathy and dedication to Urantia Book readers was contagious and she played a significant role in helping us to overcome the unknown. Rogério said that her presence on that occasion made all difference to his performance as Director and later as President of the Association in Brazil, much more marked on that day by her presence than all others. We will miss her, but she is certainly one more friend to meet again in our next journey.
¶ James Woodward
California, USA
I first met Cathy Jones in the early nineties when she’d visit the Ploetz home, a center of Urantia Book activities in Southern California. Those memories are vivid, meeting new friends who were active in Urantia service. Cathy stood out—a dynamic person—and very determined to expand the fraternal group she had helped create.
Cathy was charismatic and it has varied roots, including her Texas heritage; she was independent and loyal to her values. She was also gifted with formidable courage and loads of faith. Later, as a colleague, I would discover that her work ethic was established and strong. Most people do not know that she was also a yogi. For many years she practiced Kundalini yoga, an apex practice of spiritual meditation and breathing. These disciplines and loyalties produced in Cathy what we acknowledge as true leadership. Plus, it was always tethered to graciousness—that ready smile, a hearty laugh, and the warmth of a love-saturated soul.
Cathy and I began working closely at Urantia Foundation in the year 2000. She would spend months living at 533 in Chicago, leading and organizing from her small office. We worked together on many projects, some local and some stretching all over the world. As one of the few who knew her actual age, it always amazed me when she energetically planned another working trip to South America or Russia, or anywhere else where readers were organizing for service. She was always on fire with the truth of The Urantia Book, with the selfless motive to share its story of how much we are loved by God and guided by all the spirit ministries in our friendly universe.
Early in 2005, Cathy told me that we needed an informative and inspiring newsletter. She believed in the effectiveness of personal communication but said we had to expand our efforts and share the “good tidings from Associations around Urantia.” After prayer and reflection she said it was going to be called “Tidings” and she asked for my help. Along with a team of talented volunteers we produced the first issue of Tidings in June of that year. It remains an honor to contribute to Cathy’s legacy publication.
The best leaders always mentor those who are ready and willing to serve. Cathy was a mentor to so many of us, and she was much more: a loving friend. It was a momentous day when she called and said she had decided to retire. Such news I had been expecting but not her next words. She asked me to consider taking the job, that I was her first choice to be the next Executive Administrator of Urantia Association. That was classic Cathy: point to an important task, offer her full confidence, and then charmingly imply that declining wasn’t really an option! It was effective (and very humbling) and led me to new levels of service in this great organization. I am indebted to Cathy Jones in many ways and continue to be inspired by her. Those of you who share the same sentiments should seize every opportunity to grow in servant leadership. We honor Catherine by acting on our moral duty of cosmic citizenship.
¶ Farewell Cathy Jones! Until we meet again…
