Catherine Hilferty Thomas
September 3, 1927 - April 16, 2025
97 years old

Catherine Hilferty Thomas passed peacefully at Sunrise, Media, after a long and full life on April 16, 2025.  Born in Chester, PA on September 3, 1927, she is predeceased by her parents, Ruth and John Hilferty; sister, June Hilferty Coles; brother, John J. Hilferty, Jr.; husband, Richard J. Thomas; and grandson, Roy T. Scott.

She is survived by daughters Catherine T. Layser (Thomas) of Chincoteague, VA, Sarah T. Scott (Roy) of Nutley, NJ; grandchildren Evan T. Layser of Media, PA; Erica Sweeney (Joseph) of Blackwood, NJ; Harry T. Scott of Nutley, NJ; Patrick R. Scott of Philadelphia, PA; and two great-grandchildren, Levon and Benjamin Sweeney.

Catherine was a lifelong resident of Media, PA and a lifelong member of Nativity B.V.M. Church. She attended Nativity and Media Schools and received all of her sacraments except Baptism at Nativity.  After graduating from Media High in 1945, Catherine joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps where she received nursing training at Chester Hospital.  She graduated with an RN degree in 1948 and spent her working career as an RN nurse at the Media Clinic and Granite Run OB/Gyn. She loved to tell stories of her adventures in nursing.

While she was in nurses training, she met her husband Richard. They married and raised two loving daughters together in Media.

After her retirement, she moved to Holly House where she enjoyed socializing with her friends there. She also participated in many other activities such as aqua aerobics, Nativity Seniors, as well as her grandchildren's school and sports activities. If you walked or drove around Media with Catherine, you would always get a sense of her love for her hometown and its people. She liked to say that she lived in almost every house in town at one time or another in her life.

Catherine was also proud of her heritage, both her Irish roots and her family from the Maryland Eastern Shore. She visited her cousins in Ireland's Donegal several times and kept in touch with all of them throughout the years. She also told stories of her family from White Haven, MD, where she spent her summers with her siblings and her many cousins.

She will be greatly missed and always loved by all her family and friends.

Friends and family are invited to Catherine's Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at Nativity B.V.M. Church. (Franklin & Monroe Sts., Media) There will be a visitation in the church beginning at 10 am followed by Mass at 11 am.  Burial will immediately follow at Media Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, Catherine's family would greatly appreciate memorial contributions to any local Media charity or organization.

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Arrangements: Rigby Harting & Hagan Funeral Home
www.haganfuneralhome.com
(610) 566-3755