Catherine Tafoya

Catherine (Longnecker) Gillespie-Tafoya, age 86, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2025, in Cheyenne Wyoming. Catherine (Cathie) was born on September 28th, 1938, on her mother's birthday. She was the second of three daughters born to John and Ruth (Brady) Longnecker.

Cathie graduated from the original Cheyenne High School In 1956. She Loved music and played flute in the marching band and school orchestra. Upon graduation she played in the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. She was a telephone operator at the time.

In 1959 she married R.D. (David) Gillespie, also from Cheyenne. They moved to Boston as David was in his final year at Harvard. The births of their two sons, Scot and Malcolm, became the joy of her life. She was a devoted, stay-home mom and treasured the growing years with her boys.

Cathie loved to read and study all her life. While David was completing his degree at Harvard, she took several classes there. She especially enjoyed English, American Literature and Art History. When she later returned to Cheyenne, she studied the Bible in literature and comparative religions at Laramie County Community College. Another favorite study was children's literature.

Her husband David died in 1972 in a car accident. In 1974 she married Ed Tafoya. He died peacefully in 2012 in Cheyenne.

She Loved animals and over the years shared her home with more than 15 dogs and 10 cats. She also loved hosting friends and family and created many cherished happy times for everyone.

Cathie is survived by her sons, Scot and Malcolm Gillespie; granddaughters Lucie and Abbie Gillespie, nieces, Yvonne Fox (Dennis) and Jeni Mason (Mark) and their families; cousins; Don Fraser (Toni), Kathy Johnson (Eric); three stepchildren and longtime loyal friends, Virginia Wheeler and Annette Dibble.

She was preceded in death by her parents, both of her husbands, as well as her sisters, Barbara Dawson and Patricia Marquardt. A celebration of her life will be held in Cheyenne on April 22, 2025. For details, please contact one of her sons, Scot or Malcolm Gillespie.

One of Cathie's favorite poems was by John Galsworthy:

"Death when you come to me, let there be sunlight, dogs and dear creatures about me at play, flowers in the field and the song of the Blackbird - spring in the world when you fetch me away!"